Behind Enemy Lines
by Devon Goes to Heaven
Summary: After the destruction of Heliopolis, Flay ends up on the Vesalius instead of the Archangel. Yzak x Flay.
1. Sins of the Father

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Gundam Seed or it's character. No profit is being made from this._

 _ **Notes:**_ _During my first viewing a decade ago, I admit I was one of those fans that really hated Flay. I think with an adult perspective, I started to understand Flay. She suffered from mental illness and was a war orphan. So, I guess this is my attempt to write her a better ending. A lot of this is shameless fluff, I admit. There will be a bit of angst and drama here and there. Anyways, tell me what you think! I can't be the only one that ships this._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Sins of the Father_

Flay is shaking. Not just from fear, but also from isolation, eating rations, and being cramped in that tiny pod for days. She's shaking from uncertainty. The ship that has rescued their pod may very well be a ZAFT vessel, and if that is the case, they will be exposed to the monsters that destroyed her home. She will be surrounded by _them_.

 _Coordinators…_

Flay wraps her arms around herself. _No_ , life cannot be that cruel. If there is a loving god above, he wouldn't take her home _and_ thrust her into the arms of the enemy. Her entire body trembles as she tries to force back her tears. She wants her Papa. She wants to be at her father's home in Orb. She wants to be _safe_.

Flay's head snaps up as the pod door opens. Light spills in through the pod door, and her heart is pounding heavily against her chest. Her breath hitches in her throat as she sees a silver haired man dressed in ZAFT red. Her heart feels as if it's been split in half. _No, no, no_. Her eyes avert to the floor as a wave of dread crawls through her skin.

"Are you coming or not?" the silver-haired soldier snaps at her.

Flay glances towards him and rises from her chair. She floats through the pod towards the ZAFT soldier. Her hand clutches onto the edge of the small doorway as she looks down into the ship's hangar. _They're everywhere_. Flay's head feels light as she looks at all the men dressed in ZAFT uniforms. Her head feels heavy at the very sight.

 _Oh god._..

Flay feels the soldier take her by her arm and shift her outside of the pod. She looks directly into his cold blue eyes and her heart feels as if it's being crushed. His hand is still tightly wrapped around her arm. She wants to fight him, but how can she? He is a man and a Coordinator. He could overpower her within seconds.

"Your name?" he asks.

"I don't need to tell _you_ anything!" she struggles against his grip.

"Don't make this difficult," he says.

Flay looks into his narrowed cold eyes. Her breath catches in her throat as her heart hammers against her chest. She lowers her eyes from his and says, "Flay Allster."

"Allster… the name sounds familiar," the soldier says. " _Dearka!_ Are you familiar with the name _Allster_?"

A tanned, blonde hair man glances up towards them. "Isn't George Allster some shit bag from Blue Cosmos?"

Flay's entire body goes numb at Dearka's words. The ZAFT soldier's grip tightens around her bicep. Flay looks into his eyes. She can practically feel the rage pouring off of him.

"My dad isn't part of Blue Cosmos I promise," tears are flowing from her eyes as her voice thins. "I know my dad better than anyone... _please_ …"

"Evidently you don't know him well enough," the soldier says.

He keeps his grip on her arm as he moves through the hangar. She's trembling as he takes her through a series of halls. They're going to kill her, and all for some misconceptions made about her father. It's true her father isn't fond of Coordinators, but he's not part of Blue Cosmos. She would know... _wouldn't she?_

" _Please_...don't kill me," Flay pleads. "I'm not part of Blue Cosmos. I promise."

"I'm not going to kill you," he replies. "Stop being so overdramatic."

He stops in front of a door. The soldier keeps one hand tightly wrapped around her arm as his index finger presses against a silver button. "Commander Le Creuset, I have information that might interest you."

"Come right in, Yzak…" a voice says through a speaker.

The door swishes open, and Yzak pulls her through the door. Flay looks to a masked man sitting behind a desk. Yzak releases his hold on her. Flay wraps her arms around herself as she looks to her shoes. She starts to tremble again as tears well in her eyes.

"George Allster's daughter appears to be one of the civilians from the pod, Commander," Yzak explains.

"George Allster of Blue Cosmos?" Le Creuset says. "How ironic that his daughter happened to be in the lifepod we recovered. This world has such a strange sense of humor."

"My father is not part of Blue Cosmos," Flay looks up to Le Creuset.

"There's no need to be defensive, Miss Allster," Le Creuset says. "You are not to be punished for the sins of your father. How old are you...sixteen?"

"Fifteen," Flay's voice is meak.

"She's been in that pod for days now," Le Creuset looks directly at Flay. "Find her some clothes and let her shower."

" _Me?_ " Yzak asks. "You want me to chaperone this... _girl_ around the ship?"

"Yes, Yzak," he says. "It is the humanitarian thing to do, is it not? ZAFT must set a better example than her father has."

Heat rises in her chest. Flay drops her hands to her sides and clenches her fists. Her nails dig into her palms as she represses all of her anger. _How dare this man slander her father?_ She bites her lip as she resist the urge to lash out. If she were in Orb or in Heliopolis, she could so easily speak her mind. Not here though. Not in the lion's den.

Yzak turns to towards her. Flay keeps her gaze downward. She expects him to take her by the arm and drag her through the ship again. Instead he floats towards the door and waits for her to follow. Flay looks to him and hesitates to follow him.

"I don't have all day," he snaps.

Flay takes two small steps towards him. He presses his hand against a panel to open the door, and Flay follows Yzak outside of Le Creuset's office. The door swishes closed, and Yzak looks towards her with with mild annoyance. He places one hand on his hip as he glowers down at her with contempt. Flay shifts her eyes away from him in an attempt to avoid eye contact with him.

"I'm not excited about this either," he says. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

She draws in a deep breath and resigns to her unfortunate circumstances with a small nod. _Just get it over with_ , she thinks to herself. Resisting isn't going to do her any favors. If she has good behavior, it might make her situation a little bit more bearable. Flay manages to look up at Yzak. His eyes seemed to have softened slightly. She relaxes her arms to her sides and follows behind him with her eyes to the floor.

Her unfortunate set of circumstances start to settle in her brain. She's on a ZAFT Warship with Coordinators, her father has no idea if she's even alive, and the soldiers on this ship seem to believe her father is some fanatical racist. He doesn't like Coordinators, _but_ does that really make him part of Blue Cosmos? He has prejudices, but surely, he cannot be as terrible as these people seem to think he is.

Yzak stops at a door. He keys in a code before stepping inside the small room. Flay follows him inside as he retrieves a set of spare clothing. He hands her a green uniform skirt and white undershirt. Flay takes them both in hand. She's hesitant on wearing the skirt considering that it's a ZAFT issued uniform, but her desire to wear clean clothes outweighs her pre-existing prejudices.

"Follow me," Yzak orders.

Flay follows Yzak out of the room. She holds her clean clothes close to her as she follows him in silence. As much as she hates being on this ship, she cannot deny that she's looking forward to the shower that she was promised. Flay cannot wait to get out of her pink dress and just wear something clean for a change. _Hell_ , she sees herself throwing away the dress the minute she gets back home to Papa.

 _If she gets back home…_

Flay pushes that thought from her mind as they stop in front of another door. Yzak steps towards the door and keys in a code. The doors _swish_ open revealing a room with a bed and desk. There's another door off to the side. _Is this Yzak's room?_ Flay feels so out of place as she steps inside. The last place she ever expected to be was inside a ZAFT soldier's private room.

"The shower's in that room," Yzak says. "Be quick about it."

Flay walks passed him and into the room. She closes the door behind her and presses her back against it. Her tears flow freely as she sobs. She wishes she was in her dorm on Heliopolis. She wishes she was with Miriallia and Sai. She wishes she could cry on her father's shoulder. She wishes she was anywhere but on this ship.

Flay takes in another deep breath as she releases her new set of clothes into the air. She kicks off her shoes and pulls her dress over her head. She removes her undergarments as she walks towards the shower. She steps inside and closes the door behind her. Flay turns the knobs, allowing water to pour. She sinks down to the floor and curls her legs close to her. She starts to sob again as it all starts to hit her.

A week ago, Flay Allster was just a normal teenager trying to make it through school. How, in god's name, did she end up being a ZAFT hostage? Flay buries her head into her knees as warm water cascades down upon her. Her worst nightmare has now become her reality.


	2. War and Peace and Coffee

_**AN:**_ _YAY! I updated! Thanks for your comments everyone! Anyways, this is sort of supposed to be a light hearted shameless fluff fic. This next chapter is a little bit humorous and lighthearted. I hope you all enjoy!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _War and Peace...and Coffee_

Flay's eyes snap open as she stirs from her sleep. Her eyes adjust to the dark room. She sees a vacant bunk across from her, and her stomach twists as the events of the previous day fill her mind. She's currently a hostage on a ZAFT Warship. The men on this ship all think her father part of Blue Cosmos, and she's caught between a war that she never had any part in.

Flay clutches to her sheets and shifts so that she's facing the wall. She tries to shut her eyes and pretend she's on a beach. She tries to picture Sai's arms around her protectively. Her heart strings at the thought of Sai. He was suppose to be her future. Flay had never considered the idea of a future with another man or even to live for herself. Her father had approached her with her engagement to Sai years ago, and Flay had never thought to argue.

Now, she may never see Sai again. For all she knows, Sai died on Heliopolis. Flay wishes she was more upset, but she just feels so numb. There's a part of her that pictures a completely different life than her father has dictated of her, and she feels terrible that there's this sense of relief that she may not be tied down to her previous engagement.

Flay digs her fingers into her sheets. What future can she even hope for? She's a hostage. She'll be taken to the PLANTs and live among a bunch of Coordinators - _Coordinators that will look down upon her._ She's being so incredibly selfish to even wish for an escape from her engagement. Hadn't she agreed to it? Yes, she had agreed to it, because her father asked her. She was thirteen and so easily influenced. Flay curls into herself and draws her blanket over her as if the sheet of cloth can protect her from her own thoughts.

The door opens. Flay props herself up on her elbows as she looks to the door. Yzak is looking to her. _What now?_ Flay wraps her blanket around herself as she looks to him with narrowed eyes.

"Get dressed," he says.

She feels heat rise in her chest. The least he can do is ask nicely. Yzak turns his back to her. It takes a few moments before Flay pulls her covers from herself. She feels self-conscious as she walks to her dresser. She pulls the drawer open. She grabs her shirt and skirt as the float upward into the air. Flay pulls her skirt around her waist and pulls her top over her head. She turns around and notices a green jacket in Yzak's hands.

"I'm not wearing that," she says.

He rolls eyes at her. "Are you always like this?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asks.

He tosses the jacket towards Flay. She catches it in her hands. The ZAFT uniform jacket feels as if it's burning her hands. She glares up to Yzak.

"Just put it on," he says.

Flay pulls the jacket over her shoulders. She fastened the jacket closed. It feels _wrong_ to don the uniform of the enemy. Flay shivers at the thought. Her father would be so ashamed to see her wearing a ZAFT uniform. She sees his disapproving eyes as he shakes her head at her. Flay cringes at the thought.

"Why do I have to wear this?" Flay asks. "I'm not a Coordinator. I've never even visited the PLANTs…"

"Commander Le Creuset asked that you work while you onboard," Yzak explains.

"I studied cosmetology on Heliopolis," Flay explained. "I'm not exactly military material."

Yzak pinches the bridge of his nose as he releases a deep sigh. "This wasn't my decision. My commanding officer asked that you assist the doctor in the medical bay. _Look_...just do as he asks. It will be easier for both of us."

There's a bit of relief at the thought of working in medical. It's not as if she's going to fire upon the Earth Alliance. There shouldn't be any shame in taking care of the injured. Flay takes a tentative step forward. She should see this as some sort of opportunity to learn something new rather than some betrayal to her father. She follows Yzak outside of the room and floats behind him through the halls.

Her eyes sting. She had a hard time sleeping the previous night. She misses her morning coffee runs at Heliopolis. It's such a simple luxury, but she craves coffee. Flay looks to Yzak. She could ask for coffee. He'll probably snap at her, but she's willing to ask in case coffee might be available to her.

" _Um..._ Yzak?" it's the first time she's said his name and it feels odd on her tongue.

" _What?_ "

"Do you...um," she pauses. "Do you have any coffee? It's just I'm tired and…"

"If I get you some coffee, will you promise to do as you are asked?"

She pauses momentarily before saying, "Yes…"

Yzak stops before a door. He keys in a code and the doors open. Flay looks into the medical bay. Her eyes avert back to Yzak.

"Do as you are asked," he says. "I will be back with some coffee. _But_ , if I hear so much as a passing comment on your behavior, I won't be so generous tomorrow."

Flay gives Yzak a soft nod before she enters the medical bay. She steps inside. A man dressed in a white coat approaches her. He extents her hand to her.

"I'm Doctor Frazier," he says. "You would be Flay Allster?"

Flay takes his hand in hers and gives it a limp shake. "It's uh...nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Flay," Doctor Frazier replies.

Flay knows next to nothing about medical science. She's at a loss on why Le Creuset asked that she work in a medical bay. Why not just assign her something simple like janitorial duties?

"I don't really know much about any of this," she says. "I went to school for cosmetology."

"It's fine," Doctor Frazier replies. "You are here as an assistant. You'll only be doing simple tasks. Coordinators don't fall ill as often as Naturals do. Most of my work is attending to injured crewmen."

Flay shifts uneasily at the thought of tending to bleeding patients. The thought of blood makes her squeamish. Doctor Frazier gives her an encouraging smile. Flay attempts a nervous smile simply out of principle.

"I'll have you start by placing labels on these bottles," Doctor Frazier says. "When you're done, I'll show you the basics of wrapping a bandage."

Doctor Frazier motions her over to two plastic boxes. There's a roll of labels attached to the table. Doctor Frazier is careful as he tilts the lid slightly off the first box. He retrieves a bottle from the box and takes one of the labels from the roll on the table. He sticks the label onto the bottle and places it into the empty box.

"Be careful when you take the bottles from the box," he instructs. "We're in zero gravity right now, and I'd rather not have this room floating with painkillers."

Flay nods.

"This goes without saying," he says. "But, do not take any of these pills. Opiate based drugs are extremely addictive and should only be used to treat intense pain."

The door swishes open. Flay turns to see Yzak carrying a steel coffee thermos in his hand. She turns away from Doctor Frazier and steps towards Yzak. Her eyes fall to the floor as she stops before him. Yzak offers her the coffee thermos and Flay takes it in hand.

"Thank you," Flay's voice is unsteady when she speaks.

Yzak's gaze averts from hers as he says, "You're welcome."

A small gasp escapes her as she looks up to him. She wraps both her hands around the thermos as her eyes fall back towards the floor.

"I should...get back to work," she says.

Flay turns away from Yzak. She takes a sip of coffee. It's so bitter and bland, but she can't exactly complain. It's not as if there is a coffee shop installed in ZAFT Warship. Flay looks over her shoulder towards Yzak. Their eyes meet for only a moment before he turns away from her and exits the medical bay.


	3. Unspoken Connection

_**AN:**_ _Thank you all for your reviews! This chapter is longer than the last two installments. I feel as this chapter starts to build on what will eventually be a strong connection between Yzak and Flay. Also, on Sai - a lot of people were angry with Flay's betrayal of Sai in the show. While I do agree that she handled their break up poorly, I also feel like people forget that she was arranged to marry him. Flay is fifteen at the beginning of the series so I can assume that their engagement was made for at the age of thirteen to fourteen years old. That's hardly an age that someone should be making an adult life decision such as marriage. So, a lot of Flay's inner monologue mentions those dynamics._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Unspoken Connection_

The past two days have gone smoother than Flay had ever imagined they would. She had initially expected harassment from the crew, but for the most part, they leave her be. Most of her interactions are with Yzak and Doctor Frazier. Flay likes it this way. She'd rather just be left alone than having to cultivate new friendships with ZAFT soldiers. Papa has always said that Coordinators will always feel superior to Naturals and not to trust them. Men like Yzak and even someone seemly as kind as Doctor Frazier will always see her as lesser than them. She must remember that as kind as they might be, the men and women on this ship still look down upon her.

Flay fastens her green uniform jacket and smooths it out. She hears the door _swish_ open to see Yzak with a coffee thermos in hand. He offers her the coffee thermos and she takes it with a small " _thank you_ ". Flay follows him outside of her room and floats through the hall in silence. There's a part of her that almost wants to strike up a conversation with him. _But, he is a Coordinator_. ZAFT took her home from her. She cannot simply forget where she stands.

Flay stops at the medical bay. Yzak looks to her for a moment. There's this unspoken connection that she can't quite understand. She wants to say something, but she's not sure what she what to say.

"I guess I'll see you after my shift…" she says.

"Sure," his voice almost sounds indifferent.

Flay turns away from him, clutching her thermos tightly. She feels slighted by his indifference. She's always been so desired by the men she's around from her fiancé, Sai to that boy Kira Yamato. It really shouldn't bother her that Yzak seems disinterested, but it does.

Flay keys in the code to open the door and steps inside the medbay. The door closes behind her, and her shoulders loosen. Most of the other crewman intimidate her, but Doctor Frazier is so kind. She can't really see him trying to hurt her even if he is a Coordinator. Her father had told her not to trust Coordinators, but she supposes to some extent she can trust him.

"There's a bag of dirty sheets and blankets I need you to take to the laundry room," Doctor Frazier says. "It should be in the closet."

Flay floats towards the closet. She opens the door takes the bag in hand. On Heliopolis, Flay imagines that the bag would be heavy, but the zero gravity makes it so easy to pull outside of the medbay. Flay floats to the end of the hall. She stops at the last door and presses a button to open the the door. Flay floats over to the washer. She opens the bag to pull out the balled up sheets and blankets. She places them inside the washer and closes the door promptly. Flay selects bleach on the touch screen before starting to washer.

Flay releases a deep breath into the room and allows herself to float aimlessly for a moment. She thinks about Sai, Miriallia, Tolle, and Kira. Flay wonders if they managed to make it out of Heliopolis alive. It's hard for her to believe that there's a possibility that she'll never see her friends again. Will she even see Orb again? The uncertainty of her fate is starting to settle. Her father had her life laid out for her. She'd graduate school, marry Sai, and start a family. Flay had never dared to question her father's life plan. She simply just did as she was told.

Flay floats backwards until she hits the wall. Now that her future is so uncertain, she has doubts if the life planned for her is truly what she wanted for herself. Had she even really loved Sai? She'd liked him well enough, but he didn't exactly invoke any passed mild contentment. There were moments of doubt in their courtship where she would just want to be left alone. Sometimes she caught herself looking to other boys in class, and she would have to mentally chastised herself. If she had truly loved Sai, would she even have such doubts about their relationship?

Flay shakes her head as she tries to fight her thoughts. _No_. She wraps her arms around herself as a feeling of numbness courses through her. Her mind is trying to normalize what is happening to her by detaching herself from her loved ones. She has to remember who she is. She's a Natural from a neutral territory. She never wanted to be a part of this war to begin with.

Sirens blare through the PA system as a voice commands, " _All hands level one battlestations!"_

Flay releases her arms to her sides as she floats towards the door. She exits the room and floats through the halls. ZAFT personnel are rushing through the hallways. Flay sifts the the soldiers until she reaches the medbay. She opens the door and floats towards Doctor Frazier. Tears are in her eyes as she places her hands on his shoulders.

"What's going on?" she asks.

"We've engaged an Earth Alliance ship," Doctor Frazier says.

The ship shakes, knocking Flay to the other side of the room. She can feel tears sting her eyelids as fear consumes her. The Heliopolis attack flashes through her mind, and it's as if she's relieving it all over again. There's this fear that she might die before seeing her friends and her father. She imagines being engulfed by fire as the ship breaks into pieces. Flay shouldn't hope that Yzak and his three comrades will prevail, but she doesn't want to die on this ship. Her fingers clutch a bar attached to the bed as the ship rattles once more. She shuts her eyes, waiting for the ship to become steady once more.

"It will be over soon," Doctor Frazier reassures.

Flay's hands tighten around the bar. Doctor Frazier is so calm despite the possibility of death. It's relaxing in a way to see someone so confident in their survival. Flay sits on the bed with her hand still clutching tightly to the bar.

For a long stretch of time, Flay sits in silence. The ship seems to have steadied. Maybe ZAFT had really shot down that Earth Alliance vessel. Flay feels terrible that part of her is thankful in ZAFT's potential victiory. She should be a diehard Earth Alliance loyalist like her father. She should hope to go down in this ship rather than have ZAFT obtain victory.

The door to the room swishes open. Athrun and Dearka are carrying Yzak inside the room. His face is covered in blood. He's wearing his uniform red pants along with a white t-shirt that has been stained with blood. A gasp escapes Flay as she looks at the blood matting into Yzak's silver hair. She rises from her seat and floats towards Yzak.

Her hands wrap around him as she guides him toward the bed. His hand is clutching against his wound as he hisses inwardly. Doctor Frazier is by her side. He leans over Yzak and takes Yzak's hand away from his wound.

"Flay, bring me some gauze and disinfectant," he orders then looks to Athrun and Dearka. "I'm going to need some space."

"Yes sir," Athrun says before he leaves the room with Dearka following behind him.

Flay goes to the cabinet without question. She takes the disinfectant and a bag of cotton balls in her hands. She walks back over to Doctor Frazier and hands him the gauze.

"I will also need an IV Fluid Bag and catheter," he orders.

Flay goes to the second cabinet and retrieves the requested items. She hands them to Doctor Frazier. He attaches the IV Bag at the top of the bed. He attaches the a tube to the catheter and fluid bag before piecing Yzak's vein. He tapes the IV to Yzak's arms, and then begins to disinfect the gaping wound on Yzak's face.

Flay watches as he cleans Yzak's cut. Doctor Frazier threads a needle and begins to stitch the wound. It's seems so sad to see someone who once stood with such pride look so wounded. She tries to fight away that fleck of empathy, but she can't. Even if he is a Coordinator, he still bleeds red and feels pain just as she does.

Doctor Frazier is finishing bandaging the wound. He stands and looks to Flay. "Wait here. I must report this to Commander Le Creuset. If he wakes up, give him two tablets of OxyContin."

Flay gives a small nod as Doctor Frazier leaves the room. Flay sits at the desk. She leans back into the chair and releases a deep sigh. She's never seen so much blood in her life. Flay glances to Yzak shifts to lay on his side. Flay leans forward in her chair. Her hands clutch around the pill bottle. She presses the button on the top to dispense two pills. She retrieves a water bottle from the desk and sits on the bed next to Yzak.

"Are you um…." she pauses, "How are you feeling?"

"How does it look like I'm feeling?" he snaps.

Flay ignores his words and hands him the two pills. "Doctor Frazier told me to give you these if you woke up."

Yzak looks to the pills before popping them in his mouth. She gives him the water bottle and he takes a long sip before letting it float next to them. Flay's hands are on her knees as she looks down at the floor.

"Well...I hope that you get better soon," she says.

"Yeah uh...thanks," he says.

It's probably the most gratitude she's going to get from him. Flay sits at the end of the bed. She is about to rise from the bed, but she feels his hand wrap around her wrist.

"I don't get you," he says. "Your father is part of Blue Cosmos. Yet, you're different _or_ so you seem."

"I don't think my dad is part of Blue Cosmos, Yzak," Flay says. "There must be some mistake…"

Yzak scoffs. " _Please_...even if he's kept that _detail_ from you, you must know that he doesn't like Coordinators. You might be spoiled, but you don't seem dumb."

Flay wants to argue, but how can she? Her father has spoken ill of Coordinators. He's warned her not to get to close to them, and he's even threatened to disown her if she brought one home. Flay had never really questioned anything he said, and even went along with it to some extent.

"No, I guess he doesn't like Coordinators much," her voice is uneasy when she speaks.

There's a protective part of her that wants to defend him, but how can she on a ZAFT Warship? It would put a target on her back. That aside, she'd rather spend her days in the medbay than stare at the wall in a holding cell. She breathes and reminds herself to keep herself together. Surely, she won't be on this ship forever.

She looks to Yzak's bandaged face. What kind of Natural pilot could deliver such a blow to a Coordinator? Her father had said that Coordinators were enhanced to be stronger than Naturals.

"A Natural did this to you?" she asks.

"No, not a Natural," Yzak says. "Some Coordinator turncoat from Heliopolis. Athrun used to know him."

"I knew a Coordinator. Well, I didn't _know_ him. I would just seem him from time to time. He was friends with a uh…" Flay thinks to Sai for a moment. "He would hang out with a friend of mine sometimes."

Flay's heart sinks. She had deliberately left out her engagement, and she even neglected to disclose that she had dated Sai. It doesn't matter anymore. She can't keep stay attached to the dead. Flay wants to hope, but how can she? Even if he is alive, who is to say she'll even see him again. Then, there is _Kira_. She hardly knew him, but she imagines he's among the dead as well.

Flay pulls her hand away. Her hand clutches where he touched her wrist. She shouldn't be empathizing with someone that just destroyed her home and took her friends from her. Tears sting her eyes. She wish she could hate Yzak, but she can't bring herself to do so. She looks back to him.

"I'm sorry about your friends," he says.

Flay looks away from him as her hands clutch her knees. She doesn't know what she should say. " _No, it's fine. You just destroyed my home and might have killed my friends in the process. But, it's no big deal."_ But on the other hand, hadn't the Naturals nuked a Space Colony. Thousands of Coordinators died because of the Bloody Valentine.

"The Earth Federation nuked a Space Colony, because they hate Coordinators. Heliopolis was destroyed, because ZAFT retaliated," Flay's voice is thin as a sheet of ice.. "How many more people have to die before the killing ends?"

Silence passes between them as they look to one another. The door opens and Doctor Frazier walks inside breaking the tension between them.

"Yzak, you're awake…" he says.

"Unfortunately," he says bitterly as his hand clutches the side of his head.

"It's good to see that you are recovering," Doctor Frazier comments. "There will be some scar tissue after your wound heals. Not a big deal. I can recommend you to a cosmetic surgeon once we return to the PLANTs."

Yzak doesn't respond. He just shifts in his bed so that his back is to both of them. She can feel the resentment pouring off of him. Flay glances at him one last time before she stands. She brushes a strand of hair away from her face.

She goes to the door and looks to Doctor Frazier. "I should probably go finish the laundry from earlier."


	4. Rau Le Creuset

_**AN:**_ _Thank you for all of your feedback! I love hearing from all of you! I'm sorry this chapter took so long, but I hit writer's block for a bit. This chapter will be from Flay's perspective again, because I wanted to build the tension of her new surroundings. I think I'll do a chapter from Yzak's perspective after this chapter though. I have notes at the end of the chapter as well to describe some of the choices I made with a character at the end of the chapter._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Commander Le Creuset_

It's the first time Flay is allowed in the mess hall rather than having food brought to her. Flay supposes that to some degree they trust her enough to allow her out of her room unsupervised. The small bit of freedom is nice, but she still feels out of place. Nicol is standing behind her in the line. She hasn't spoken much to him, but she's observed him enough to notice that he has a softer temper the rest of the crew. She glances over her shoulder. Their eyes meet and he smiles to her. Flay manages to smile back.

"How are you?" he asks.

"Uh…um," she says. "I'm good."

"Yzak was hit hard yesterday," he says. "I tried to visit him last night, but he was passed out."

"He slept most of the day," Flay says. "He talked with me for a little bit. I guess a Coordinator is fighting against you guys."

"It's odd," Nicol says. "I'm not sure why he's chosen to aid the Earth Alliance."

Flay takes her tray of food along with a thermos of coffee. She eyes an empty table at the far corner to her right. She can be by herself. Flay makes her way over to the table and takes a seat. Nicol sets his tray in front of her and sits across from her. Flay's eyes snap up to his. She takes her coffee thermos in hand and takes a sip before setting it back on the table.

"I hope you don't mind if I sit with you," Nicol says.

"Uh...no," she says. "I don't mind."

Flay wouldn't say that she's upset that Nicol has approached her. She's more confused than anything. The rest of the crew aside from Yzak and Doctor Frazier have treated her with indifference. That aside, Nicol has a kind demeanor about him that Flay would have never expected of a ZAFT soldier. He's like Kira Yamato in some ways - very kind, but not quite as emotional.

"Why did you join ZAFT?" Flay asks. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't seem like a soldier."

"I don't want to fight people," Nicol says. "But, after what happened to Junius 7, I had to do something to help."

Flay takes a bite of her sandwich and sets it back down on her tray. She hadn't really thought of how Junius 7 had affected the PLANTs. She'd been so caught up in her own little world to really think farther than herself. She takes another sip of coffee before returning the thermos to the table.

Flay tries to be hopeful about returning to Orb. Her skin feels as if it's being pricked by a thousand needles as it dawns on her that it may never come to be. There's this longing to be on Earth. She misses the way the air brushes against her skin, and she longs to hear the soft ocean waves. Flay's heart feels as if it's being crushed, and she feels tears begin to form in the back of her eyes.

" _Are you okay?_ "

Nicol's voice brings her back. Flay feels as if she's been pulled from her thoughts and back to reality. She attempts to smile, but imagines that it isn't very convincing.

"I was just uh...worried," she says.

"I'm worried about Yzak too," Nicol says.

Flay hadn't expected for _that_ assumption to be made, but she decides to go with it. "I haven't really seen people hurt in such a way before. I'm not used to seeing people in pain."

Flay looks to the clock mounted on the wall. It's almost time for her to start her shift.

"Uh...excuse me," she says. "I need to start my shift."

"Of course," Nicol says with a wave. "Tell Yzak that I hope to see him on his feet soon."

Flay gives Nicol a small nod. She turns away from him and leaves the cafeteria. Two enlisted men pass by her and lear at her as if she is some kind of leper. They whisper amongst each other and laugh. She must be some huge joke. To them, she is just some spoiled brat daughter of a Blue Cosmos radical.

 _It isn't even true_. _They don't know Papa..._

Flay stops in front of the medbay. She places her hand against the wall as she tries to soothe the anxiety building within her. There's no way off this ship. No matter how much she wishes they would send her home, it is something that is an impossibility. She breathes as her realization starts to settle. Until the war is over, she won't be going home.

"What am I going to do?" she wraps her arms around herself as tears start to form.

Flay wipes the stray tears from her eyes. She's doesn't have the knowledge or the military training it would take to escape a ZAFT warship. The only thing that she can do is obey ZAFT until the war is over or the Earth Alliance finds a way to free her. She'll have to make do with her situation no matter how much she hates it.

Flay pulls herself together. She keys in the access code to the medbay and steps inside. Yzak shifts over in his bed and looks up to her.

"Doctor Frazier is talking with Commander Le Creuset," Yzak says. "He'll be back soon."

Flay looks to him for a moment and nods softly. She walks towards the vacant desk and sits on the rotating chair. She leans back into it and releases a heavy sigh. Tears start to sting her eyes, and she turns the chair away from Yzak. She tries to be discreet as she wipes tears from her eyes. She can't let him see her cry. He'd laugh at her, or at the very least tell her to stop. Flay hears the bed creak and she turns to see Yzak sitting upright.

"You're crying?" he says.

"I just…" she says. "I had something stuck in my eye."

His eyes avert away from hers. "You don't have to lie. I get it that you want to be anywhere but here. I'd be pissed if I were stuck on the Archangel like Lacus Clyne."

"Lacus Clyne is on the Archangel?" Flay asks.

He looks up at her for a moment. "Lacus has been on the Archangel for a few days. You just haven't heard about it, because you aren't stationed on the bridge. I imagine she isn't happy where she is either, but that's just how it is, _alright_. This is war, and shit happens. No one wants to be here, but that's just how it has to be until the war ends. You can either cry about it, or just be grateful we found you before the oxygen ran out in your escape pod. Do what you want. I don't care."

His arms are crossed as he looks at her with one eye bandaged and the other seemingly staring right through her. Her hands grip the armrests of her chair. Flay almost snaps back at him, but she reminds herself where she is. She has no ground to protest or argue with anyone.

Flay draws in a deep breath as she tries to ignore his words. Her words are tense as she says, "I should change your bandages."

Flay goes to the cabinet. She retrieves scissors, a roll of bandages, and bag of clips. She grabs a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a bag of cotton balls before walking towards Yzak. She attaches all of the items to a nearby table and sits on a stool next to Yzak. She breathes as she retrieves the scissors from the table and steadies her hand.

"Don't cut me!" he snaps.

"I'm not going to cut you, _jeez_ ," she snaps back.

Flay takes in another deep breath and cuts the material from his face. She grabs the bandage and pushes it in a disposal bin next to the table. She attaches the scissors back on the table and grabs a cotton ball. She places the cotton ball on top of the bottle and presses a button to dispense the alcohol onto the swap.

Flay is gentle as she places it against his wound. She's careful as she cleans near his stitches and clears the dried blood from his face. His wound is healing so fast - faster than she imagined it would. Flay places the cotton ball in the disposal bin and grabs the bandage roll. She wraps the bandage around Yzak's head until she's completely wrapped the wound. She takes the scissors from the table and cuts the bandage. She returns the scissors to the table. She retrieves a couple of metal clips from their bag and attaches them to Yzak's bandage.

Yzak feels the bandage with one hand. "Doctor Frazier taught you how to do this?"

"On my first day, yes," she says.

"You're not too bad at this," he admits. "Why didn't you go into medical science?"

Flay tries to search her mind for an answer. She had never imagined that she could be a nurse or a doctor. She never imagined she could do anything, but what her father had told her to do. Yzak looks to her, waiting for an answer. She can't bring herself to tell him the truth.

"Your father influenced you," he answers for her.

Flay looks to him. "I mean, he didn't force me. I have...or at least _had_ a fiance. My dad wanted us to get married after we both finished school…"

"You're fifteen years old and your dad already has you set up with some guy," Yzak sighs as he lays back into the palms of his hands. "I didn't quite get you when we first met, but so much of this is starting to make sense."

"I liked Sai…" her voice quivers. "I...really did. I was going to marry him."

"Yet, you never said anything about him till now," Yzak turns over on his side to face Flay. "You can lie to yourself if you want. I don't really give a shit. It's your life. _But_ , at some point, you're going to have to start making your own choices. It's your life to live not your dad's."

"It's not as if I can make my own choices as a hostage," Flay argues.

"At some point, this war is going to end," Yzak says. "You'll end up somewhere. You haven't committed war crimes or really hurt anyone. ZAFT will eventually have to release you."

The door swishes open and Doctor Frazier steps inside with Commander Le Creuset. Flay jerks her eyes away from Yzak as she looks up at the masked commander. There's something about him that is so... _off putting_. Flay lower her gaze to her lap. She wishes more than anything that she could turn invisible.

"You've already changed Yzak's bandages?" Doctor Frazier chirps. "Thank you, Flay. I'm impressed at how well you're learning."

Flay manages another glance at Commander Le Creuset. He's smiling down at her, and she's suddenly so glad that she can't see his eyes. She forces her gaze over to Yzak.

"I wonder how she'd manage in combat," Commander Le Creuset comments. "She seems to be doing well enough here."

"I don't want to fight anyone, sir," Flay's voice is meak when she speaks.

Yzak looks to her. It's as if he can sense exactly what she is the thinking. He sits up in his bed, and says, "She's too fragile to go into combat, sir. I don't think she'd manage well."

"I was only being hypothetical, Yzak," Commander Le Creuset says. "A Natural would not be able to understand the operating system of a Jinn nor does she have the proper training to fight in a mobile suit."

Flay's fingers lace together in her lap. She feels Commander Le Creuset place his hand on her shoulder. Her stomach feels as if it's twisting into several knots, and she feels as if she's going to vomit.

"I'm glad you are doing so well, Flay," Commander Le Creuset says to her.

"Thank you, sir," her voice is barely above a whisper as she speaks.

Commander Le Creuset withdraws his hand from Flay. She manages a quick glances at him. He's still smiling down at her like a lion might look upon a wounded gazelle. Yzak's brow raises as he looks to Commander Le Creuset. He lowers his eyes towards Flay. It's as if they can share their thoughts in one glance - Flay with her fear and Yzak with his sheer confusion.

Commander Le Creuset turns away from both of them and leaves the room. Flay remains still as she tries to process what exactly has just happened. Yzak still holds a look of confusion on his face, and even Doctor Frazier is oddly quiet.

"Um...I should probably do laundry," Flay announces as she goes to the cabinet to retrieve a bag of sheets. "I'll be right back."

…

 _ **AN:**_ _On my first watch of the original cut of Gundam SEED, Flay is shown lying in Rau Le Creuset's bed with a shirt on. In the Remastered Version, she's shown lying without clothes on. The scene is open to interpretation, but there some uncomfortable subtext added in the Remaster Cut. So, I chose to make Rau Le Creuset come off as a little bit creepy at the end of the chapter._


	5. Lacus Clyne

_**AN:**_ _Hi everyone! So, this chapter is going to be in Yzak's perspective, and also, Flay's behaviors and motivations will be explained in the next chapter. Also, Flay's meeting with Lacus is different in this, because of where she is. She's already exposed to Coordinators. So, her former beliefs are starting to chip away, and there's the part that she doesn't have as much agency as she did on the Archangel. I'm having so much fun writing this! Thank you all for your reviews!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Lacus Clyne_

Yzak pulls the covers over his shoulders as he shifts in his bed. The painkillers have long worn off now, but Rau Le Creuset's odd behavior still sticks in his mind. He remembers the way he smiled down at Flay for longer than an adult man should look at a teenage girl. Perhaps, he imagined it in his drug induced haze, or maybe he was just reading into it farther than he really should. It just seemed odd for a grown ass man to put his hands on a girl he hardly knows.

He sits up in his bed. Flay enters the room with a bag of laundry. She goes to the closet and places the clean bag inside. She turns around and places her back against the now closed closet. She lets out a soft sigh before her eyes catch her looking at her.

"Where did Doctor Frazier go?" Flay asks.

"He went on his lunch break," Yzak says.

Flay floats over to the stool and sits in front of him. She seems to have calmed a bit since Commander Le Creuset's visit. At the very least, at least she isn't crying anymore.

"I'm not going to have to fight am I?" Flay asks.

" _No_ ," Yzak scoffs. "The Commander said himself that Naturals can't pilot our Mobile Suits."

Flay's looking down at him, and her gaze makes him feel oddly uncomfortable. It's not that he wants her to leave. _No_ , it's something else. He just can't quite understand what it is.

Blaring sirens pull him from his thoughts. Yzak sits up on his bed. He touches right above where his wound is. It doesn't hurt as badly as it did the day before. Yzak tosses his blanket aside and climbs out of his bed. He floats towards the door, but feels two hands on both of his shoulders.

"Yzak, you're still hurt," Flay says.

"I know!" he snaps.

Yzak turns around. Her eyes look hurt by his words. He really shouldn't care, but he actually does feel a little bad for snapping at her.

Flay's eyes fall to the floor as she says, "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Yzak isn't even sure why she cares. It's not as if they are _friends_. One of her hands clutches to his white t-shirt. _God_ , this woman is so needy. He finds it irritating, but also a little bit endearing. Yzak takes her hand in his and pulls it away from his shirt.

"Look, I'll be back in a second, _alright_ …" his says. "I have to go."

He turns away from her and presses a button to open the door. Yzak moves through the halls until he reaches the hangar. Dearka and Nicol haven't launched. Only the Aegis seems to have left. Yzak notices that one of the Ginn's has launched to aid Athrun. Commander Le Creuset must have launched.

Yzak feels uneasy about all of this. While Le Creuset's behavior earlier was odd, to lose their Commander due to Athrun's incompetence will put the Vesalius at risk. Yzak floats up to the Duel Gundam and enters the cockpit. He closes the hatch behind him and moves the Duel to the launch pad.

A blonde woman appears on a side screen. "Athrun Zala and Le Creuset are the only men authorized for launch. Yzak, you are not even healthy enough…"

Yzak switches off the screen. He won't take orders from a simple green shirt. He shifts the Duel forward and launches from the Vesalius and into space.

"Yzak," Le Creuset's calls through his radio. "Wait here. The Strike is returning Lacus to us. Once she is returned safely to Athrun, you and I will attack the Strike."

"Yes, sir," Yzak says.

He looks forward to see the Aegis and the Strike off in the distance. A figure in a bulky spacesuit floats towards the Aegis. _Lacus Clyne._ Athrun takes hold of Lacus. He does not pull away immediately. It appears as if he's actually having a conversation with the Strike pilot.

Yzak's blood boils. _This is ZAFTs golden boy?_ Athrun Zala has time and again caused the Le Creuset Team hardship by sympathizing with the Strike's pilot. Yzak touches his bandage as anger burns through him. He'll have his revenge soon enough.

"Lacus is safely inside the Aegis," Commander Le Creuset announces. "Move on the Strike before it returns to the Archangel."

Yzak shifts the Duel Gundam forward. He eyes the Strike as it comes closer into view. He's ready to slice the machine into pieces until a feminine voice comes through the intercom.

"I will not standby and watch this place become a battlefield! The Earth Alliance Pilot has honored his agreement to release me! On behalf of my father I ask that the two attacking Mobile Suits stand down!" Lacus orders.

Yzak freezes. His entire body goes numb as he watches the Strike turn in retreat. He grips both of the joysticks on the Duel Gundam as his entire body shakes with rage. He looks to the Aegis - the very source of all of their problems. _Athrun Zala._ His attachments to the Strike pilot is no longer just a nuisance but a danger to the team.

"We have no choice but to return, Yzak," Commander Le Creuset says.

Yzak slams his fist on the dash as he watches the Strike escape to the Archangel. He places his hands on both joysticks and turns the Duel towards the Vesalius. He shifts the joysticks forward and lands the Duel lands on the runway. Yzak returns the Duel to its post as anger rises within him.

He opens the hatch to the Duel and scans the hangar in search of Athrun. The Aegis is already docked, but Lacus and Athrun are nowhere in sight. Yzak floats through the hangar and into a hallway. His eyes scan the hall for Athrun. He is floating alongside his fiancé. Yzak balls his fists up as he looks to Athrun. He is about to deck Athrun in the face, but he feels someone collide with him.

Arms wrap around right arm. Yzak looks down to see Flay staring up at him. "Yzak…I was so scared. You're still injured. You're not supposed to be fighting until you're healed…"

Flay's sudden shift in behavior is odd. Yzak shifts towards Flay. His brow furrows as he looks down to her. Are all Natural women this damn emotional?

"Flay…" Yzak says. "Go back to the medbay. You don't have permission to be this close to the hangar."

" _Flay?"_

Both Yzak and Flay look to Lacus. Flay grabs his arm as she hides behind him.

"You are from Heliopolis, aren't you?" Lacus asks. "Kira's friend was very upset about losing his fiancé. Her name was Flay Allster. I wish I had known before Kira negotiated my release. I could have returned you to him. Your fiancé is really hurting without you."

"Sai...is alive?" Flay asks. "You've talked to him?"

"I tried to talk with him, but he was so angry," Lacus' eyes become distant. "He didn't want to be around me, because he blames Coordinator for your alleged death. If only he knew you were alive…"

Yzak's eyes narrow. He crosses his arms as he looks to both Lacus and Athrun. He doesn't want to hear another word of the Strike Pilot or Flay's _Blue Cosmos_ fiancé. He wants to obliterate the Strike and kill every man pledged behind Blue Cosmos.

Lacus floats towards Flay. Flay doesn't flinch away like Yzak expects her too. She seems so calm in the presence of Siegel Clyne's daughter in spite of being raised by George Allster.

"I really do want us to be friends, Flay," Lacus extends her hand to Flay.

Flay pauses as she looks to Lacus. She finally takes Lacus' hand in hers and says, "I'm really sorry that Sai was mean to you. I never knew him to be like that…"

Flay clasps her hands together at her waist as her eyes drift to the floor. Yzak isn't sure what he expected of Flay, but her sudden acceptance of Lacus Clyne wasn't what at all what he expected of her. Yzak's eyes meet with Athrun's, and he glares at him. Yzak's nails dig into his palms as he resists the urge to punch him.

He takes Flay's arm in his hands. "You can't be in this area, Flay. Commander Le Creuset will flip if he sees you near the hangar."

"It was such a pleasure to meet you, Flay," Lacus is smiling at the girl. "I look forward to seeing you soon."

"It was nice to meet you too," Flay eyes are to the floor when she speaks.

Yzak tugs on Flay's arm lightly. She follows by his side without question. She is unusually quiet as they walk through the halls and back towards the medbay. Yzak let's out a deep sigh as he sits at the end of his bed. Flay walks towards the stool next to his bed.

"I didn't know Sai was a part of Blue Cosmos," she says. "He used to be friends with a Coordinator. Maybe he's changed…"

Yzak raises his eyes to meet hers. "It seems like there's a lot of things you don't know about the people you were exposed to. I don't know what to tell you, Flay."

Her hands touch his bandage. "I was afraid your stitches would come loose."

Flay pulls her hand away from him and looks away from him. Her behavior confuses him. He watches her rise from the stool. Her hand touches the steel cabinet.

"I don't even know if I want to see Sai again. He doesn't seem like the person I thought he was..." her voice is even, but also very quiet. Flay turns back to him. "I'm going to the mess hall to get some coffee. Would you like some?"

"Sure," he says.

She looks to him for a moment. Then, she turns away from him and exits the mess hall. She's such a strange girl. He used to find her _so_ irritating, but now he's not sure how he feels.


	6. Flay's Plan

_**AN:**_ _So yeah, I know this is a quick update, but I couldn't wait to write this chapter! I didn't want to completely change Flay's motivations and character. So, I feel like this is something she might do in the situation she's in. It was sort of inspired also by my Game of Thrones rewatch when Cersei says to Sansa, "Tears aren't a woman's only weapon…" in 2x09. Tell me what you think!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Flay's Plan_

Flay pulls her sheets tightly against her. Her skin feels as if it's being pricked by a thousand needles. Sai and Kira are alive. _Sai and Kira are fighting against the Vesalius._ Men that were once her fiancé and a friend are now opening fire upon her. _They don't know_. No one even knows that she's alive. She must feel like a ghost to them.

Sai was never like her father. He always believed that Naturals and Coordinators could live together. _He's changed now_. It's as if he's finally caved to the words her father had offered in small, little hints. Flay's fingers dig into her sheets. Her father believes she is dead. It will push him farther in his ideals. _And, what will happen then?_ ZAFT will go from mildly tolerating her existence to possibly keeping her as a prisoner of war. _But,_ if they trust her maybe they won't hurt her.

Flay turns over in bed. The way Rau Le Creuset sneered down on her burns in the back of her mind. When her father lashes out, she will be at his mercy. Flay shivers. She doesn't want to imagine the things that man will do to her. No one will care what he does. Her fingers dig into the bottom sheet as panic courses through her. Flay has always understood that she wasn't exactly safe here, but now it's starting to dawn her how dangerous her situation is.

Yzak should be here soon. She should put her uniform on. She _should,_ but…

He must know someone that can protect her. He might not be as influential as Lacus Clyne, but surely, he has connections on PLANT. Flay adjust her sheets down to her waist so that her bra exposed. She lays back down in her bed and shuts her eyes. The doors _swishes_ open. She keeps her eyes shut as if she were still fast asleep.

"Flay...uh," Yzak says. "It's the start of your shift."

Flay's eyes flicker open to see his back turned. "Oh...uh...my alarm didn't sound."

Flay goes to her dresser and grabs a clean skirt, white undershirt, and her green jacket. Yzak's back is still turned to her. She walks to him and touches his arm. He flinches slightly, but then relaxes under her touch.

"I'm ready," she says.

He hands her a coffee thermos. "Remember to set your alarm to your scheduled time tonight."

Flay makes sure her fingers gently graze his as she takes the coffee thermos from him. She looks up to his bandaged face. Her gaze lingers for only a moment before she shifts her gaze away from Yzak.

They float through the hall in silence. Occasionally Yzak's gaze will shift to her, but he will always look away whenever his eyes meet hers. Lacus Clyne is floating through the hall towards the both of them. Her hand catches the wall as she stops before them.

"Good morning," Lacus smiles to both of them.

Flay forces a smile to Lacus. "Good morning, Lacus."

"I'm glad that I get to see both of you before I leave," she says. "I'm sorry that you were injured in combat Yzak. I will speak to your mother if you wish me to."

"There is no need," Yzak says. "She is already so busy with her work in the council. I wouldn't want to worry her."

Flay heart skips. She keeps her features even as she looks to Lacus. "I...I hope you get home safe, Lacus."

"Thank you, Flay," Lacus offers her a warm smile. "I wish you well in your future endeavors. I am glad that I got to meet you."

"I wish you a safe journey, Lacus," Yzak says.

"Thank you, Yzak," Lacus says. "I must be going now. It was a pleasure to speak with both of you."

Lacus floats past them, her pink hair flowing through zero gravity as it were made of silk. She's kind much like Nicol is. It feels so awful to envy Lacus Clyne, but Flay does. She's so _perfect_. If her genes were spliced, maybe she could have been perfect too…

Flay follows Yzak in silence. His mother is on the counsel with Siegel Clyne and Patrick Zala. Flay steadies herself as this new information sinks in. _He could protect her from men like Rau Le Creuset._

Yzak keys in the access code to the medbay. He walks inside with her. Doctor Frazier smiles and approaches him. "It's good to see that you are healing so quickly, Yzak."

Flay goes to the cabinet. She releases her coffee thermos into the air. She retrieves a roll of bandages, clips, and scissors. She walks towards Doctor Frazier and offers him the materials.

"Thank you, Flay," he says.

Yzak sits on the bed. Doctor Frazier attaches the tools to a table as he sits on a stool. Flay retrieves her coffee thermos and sits on the vacant chair. She sips her coffee.

 _Kira_. He is the Coordinator fighting for the Earth Alliance just as she is the Natural serving ZAFT. _Sai_. He has become a completely different man entirely now. Her eyes shift forward as Doctor Frazier clips the end of Yzak bandages. _Yzak._..he's the only person she really has in her new world. She feels so fragile… _so isolated._

Yzak rises from the bed. He floats passed her and stops at the door. Their eyes meet.

"I'll be back to escort you to your quarters in eight hours," he says.

Her eyes look to him. "I'll see you then…"

Yzak looks to her and says, "I'll see you…"

He exits the room and the door closes behind him. Doctor Frazier is placing his tools back inside the cabinet. He grabs a box and attaches it on the table.

"I need you to label these bottles for me, please," he says.

Her shift goes by without interruption. Flay is actually surprised by how fast time seems to fly. It feels like only a moment ago that Yzak left. _Yzak_. The gears in her head start to turn as a plan forms.

The door opens and Yzak enters. Flay looks to him as excitement rushes through her. It feels so wrong to be excited about doing something so against everything she's ever known. Flay's heart is pounding against her chest as she floats towards Yzak.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Flay," Doctor Frazier says.

"I'll see you, Doctor Frazier," Flay waves.

She floats by Yzak's side as an unfamiliar type of nervousness fills her. It's this odd mixture of fear and excitement. She can hear her father's voice in her head pleading her not to do what she is about to do.

"Yzak…?" Flay's keeps her voice intentionally timid.

"What?"

"Do you mind if I use your shower?" she says. "I'll be quick I promise."

"Alright…"

Flay follows Yzak to his room. He keys in the access code. The doors swish open and Flay floats inside. Her skin tingles as her mind races. She goes to the bathroom and closes the door behind her. She places her back against the wall and breathes heavily.

" _Okay, okay, okay…_ " she whispers to herself.

She unfastens the buttons of her green jacket and shrugs it off of her. She ties her undershirt above her waist. She grabs the towel and tosses it underneath the cabinet. Flay turns back towards the door and opens it.

Yzak's eyes flicker towards her as Flay looks to him. "Um...I couldn't find a towel."

Yzak goes to check the bathroom. He comes outside and says, "There's a towel underneath the sink."

Flay floats towards the bathroom, intentionally colliding with Yzak in the process. His hand grip the sides of her arms as he steadies her. The sleeve of her undershirt is dropped to the side, exposing the strap of her bra. She adjust her shirt back onto her shoulder without breaking eye contact.

His hands grip her arms tightly. "You confuse the shit out of me."

"What...do you mean?" Flay feigns innocence as she looks up to him demurely.

"Don't play dumb, Flay," he says. "You know exactly what you're doing."

Her heart is pounding against her chest. Her lips part as she gazes up at him. She's never be so nervous in her life. His hand touches her cheek before he places a kiss on her lips. He pulls away from her. Flay's fingers grasp the his jacket. She leans her head against his chest.

One arm wraps around her waist. It feels so peaceful to be held. Flay thinks to the last time someone really held her. It was a day before Heliopolis' destruction. _Sai_. She would feel bad about what she's doing if it were under different circumstances. _But_ , this is what she must do to survive in such a cruel world.

Flay looks back up to Yzak. Her eyes plead to him not just to kiss her, but to _love_ her and protect her. He places both hands gently on the sides of her arms. She's shivers as a chill passes through her. He takes her hand in his and guides her over to his bed. He lays her down and climbs on top of her.

Flay looks up to him. Her hand touches the bandaged side of his face. What she is doing is so against everything she's ever known. _It is the only way._ Yzak leans down to kiss her, and for a moment, she forgets all that she is.


	7. The 8th Fleet

_**AN:**_ _Yay! So, this is where the first arc of the story ends. The next chapter will be when the Le Creuset Team returns to PLANT. Thank you all for your reviews. I really love hearing from each of you!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _The 8th Fleet_

All the pent up stress of his injury, the Strike, and Athrun Zala seem so far behind him. Yzak looks up above him to see articles of clothing floating around the room. He grins to himself. If George Allster knew a Coordinator just deflowered his dearest daughter, he'd probably die of a heart attack.

A part of him feels bad for Flay. Her entire life has been a sheltered existence of blindly following her father's commands. Her entire way of life has be so radically changed. She must feel like a fish out of the water. He would feel bad for this Sai character if not for the his treatment of Lacus Clyne. If Sai could hear his fiancé an hour ago, he probably regret mourning for her. Yzak supposes it really doesn't matter. It will only be a matter of time before the Strike is destroyed. Without the Strike, the Archangel is sitting duck. Sai will be as good as dead before long.

Yzak looks to Flay's sleeping form. When she'd advanced on him, his initial response was to ignore it. If she'd been any other girl, he'd have left her alone. _But_ , she is the daughter of one of Blue Cosmos' most elite members, and the temptation to humiliate George Allster through his own daughter was too much to turn down.

Flay turns over to face him. Her light blue eyes are looking to him. The girl is fortunate. He's seen Natural women that missed the genetic jackpot. He recalls one of the civilians from the pod. Ah Jade...the pug faced looking thing that constantly throws herself at Dearka. He remembers the sigh of relief Dearka gave when Commander Le Creuset had mentioned Jade would be released once they return to the PLANTs.

Flay won't be so lucky. Her last name makes her valuable. Even if Le Creuset wished to release her, ZAFT would never let a valuable hostage slip through their grasp. Yzak wonders what ZAFTs intentions are with Flay. He imagines they can't be _too_ hard on her. She's a fifteen year old girl, and it isn't as if she's hurt anyone since she's been onboard.

"You're still awake?" her voice is so soft when she speaks to him.

"I have orders," he says. "The Archangel is rendezvousing with an Earth Alliance fleet…"

"You're going into battle…?" Her eyes are dilated as she looks to him.

"It's what I signed up for," Yzak says. "If you're that scared, you can stay here until I get back."

"You'll let me stay here?"

"I don't care," Yzak says. "If someone comes to the door, take your clothes and hide in the closet. I don't want Le Creuset finding out about this."

"He would be mad?" she asks.

"About me sleeping with a civilian?" Yzak says. "Yes, I imagine he will be livid."

"I didn't think it was a big deal…"

"Well, it is," he says. "Look, you can stay here till I get back. Just don't get us both caught."

Actually, he should probably send her back to her room, but he wants to keep her around for when he gets back. His blood will be hot after battle, and he can find comfort in her when he returns.

The door to his room opens. Yzak's gut feels as if it has just done a backflip. Flay guards her naked figure with a sheet as both of them look towards Dearka Elsman. Yzak suddenly regrets giving Dearka the access code to his room.

"You have a girl in here?" Dearka asks. "I get stuck with Jade, and you get Flay. It's not fair."

"You mean Jade Martin?" Flay asks.

"Yes…" Dearka and Yzak groan in unison.

"Ugh, ew!" Flay wrinkles her nose in disgust.

"I didn't think you two were acquainted," Yzak says. "Well, aside from being stuck in that pod for days."

"I went to school with her," Flay says. "She's really annoying. I shared a lot of classes with her. She's a Natural girl from the United States."

" _Obviously_ ," Dearka says.

Flay's eyes narrow at Dearka. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't take offense," Yzak says. "Naturals rely on the luck of the draw when it comes to their birth. No parent would _choose_ to have a child with such poor genetics."

"Well, don't tell her that," Flay says. "Her wettest dream is to marry a Coordinator."

"I just wish you had a cuter friend," Dearka says. "It isn't fair…"

"Oh my god, Jade is not even my friend," Flay rolls her eyes. "I'm _sorry_ she's a mega creep, okay. She used to blow up this Coordinator guy's phone all the time. Don't take it so personally. She just really likes Coordinators like _a lot._ "

"I didn't know you had Coordinator friends, Miss _Allster_ ," Dearka jests.

Flay glares at Dearka. "For the last time, I'm not part of Blue Cosmos!"

"No, that would be your fiancé," Yzak says.

Dearka bursts out laughing. "Can you imagine the look on his face if he ever finds out about this?"

"Whatever," Flay lays back down on the bed. "I don't want to talk about Sai."

"I'll wait outside while you get ready," Dearka says. "I'll see you in a bit, Yzak."

Yzak waits for Dearka to leave before collecting his clothes that are now floating throughout the room. When he finishes dressing himself, he turns around to see Flay looking to him.

"You can stay here, Flay. Just don't get us caught," he says.

"I promise I won't," Flay says. "Just please come back…"

The girl is so clingy. He supposes he can't really fault her for it. Her father probably didn't raise her with the skills she needs to survive on her own. It's rather sad actually. Blue Cosmos is what started this war, and now, his daughter is caught in the middle of it. Yzak floats towards the door and looks to Flay.

"I'll see you when I get back," he says.

He presses the button to open his door and exits. Dearka is grinning at him. Yzak half smiles back to him.

"Lucky…" Dearka says with a large grin on his face. "It's too bad she doesn't have a cute friend."

The two pilots float inside the locker room. Yzak eyes Athrun. Yzak floats passed Athrun without saying a single word. If Athrun's personal feelings interfere with their mission one more time, Yzak swears he'll shoot down the Aegis and obliterate the Strike himself.

"Yzak…"

Nicol's hand touches his shoulder and Yzak turns to face him. "What do you need?"

"I don't need anything," Nicol smiles to him. "Just be careful. You're still injured."

"I'll be fine," Yzak half smiles and looks to Athrun. "As soon as I see the Strike, I will shoot it down and watch it's remains burn in the Earth's atmosphere."

Athrun's eyes narrow at Athrun. "You sound so sure of yourself, Yzak. You're usually full of shit, but today you're a little bit over zealous. Did Doctor Frazier give you some crazy pills after you relieved Flay from her post?"

Dearka snorts and smiles to Yzak. Yzak smiles back to Dearka as he walks towards his locker. Yzak removes his overcoat and throws it in his locker. He pulls the flight suit over his uniform and zips it shut. He grabs his helmet and shuts the locker behind him. Yzak floats towards Athrun and looks him dead in the eye.

"Stay out of my way Athrun," Yzak says. "I'm about tired of your _feelings_ fucking up our mission."

He floats passed Athrun and joins Dearka. The two pilots float side by side until they reach the hangar. Dearka claps his hand on Yzak's shoulder.

"I'll see you when we get back," Dearka says.

Dearka floats up to Buster, and Yzak floats up to Duel. Yzak floats inside the cockpit. He presses a button to close the hatch. The side screen comes to life, and he sees that annoying blonde green shirt on his screen.

"Yzak, you are first to launch," she says.

Yzak shifts the Duel towards the launchpad. He feels so relaxed. It's as if nothing in the world can stop him. Yzak imagines the Strike exploding into a thousand pieces. He pictures the look on Athrun's face as he watches his traitor friend die.

Yzak launches into from the Vesalius out into space. Buster follows. Blitz is next and Aegis is last to launch. Yzak looks on the main monitor to see The 8th Fleet off in the distance. He eyes the Archangel on his main screen and grins.

The Menelaos moves in front of the Archangel. Yzak aims his beam rifle towards the warship. He waits until the ship is in the crosshairs and fires. He moves towards the Menelaos. The Buster is opening fire upon the Menelaos as the Blitz and Aegis move on the Archangel. Yzak scans for any signs of the Strike. He spots the Archangel's Mobile Armor, but the Strike is nowhere to be seen.

Yzak continues to fire upon the Menelaos. He moves on the cockpit and opens fire. The warship falls into pieces as the remains of the ship fall into the Earth's atmosphere. Yzak moves the Duel backwards and searches for the Strike. _Where is he?_

The Strike launches from the Archangel. Yzak aims his beam rifle and fires several shots. The Strike manages to dodge all but one. The last beam hits the side of the Strike's arm, sending it backwards. The Aegis charges the Strike with a beam saber. The Strike moves to the side, barely dodging Athrun's attack by a hair.

The Archangel is descending into the Earth's atmosphere. The Strike seems to have gotten too close to the atmosphere. Yzak watches as it struggles to move. It brings a smile to his lips. He would move on it and attack it himself, but the risk of being pulled down to Earth is far too high.

The Vesalius launches four bright signals for each pilot. Yzak looks at the Strike one last time before returning to the ship. The Strike's pilot is likely to die during his descent to Earth. Yzak is disappointed that he wasn't able to take out the Strike himself, but this will suffice.

And, _if the Strike pilot still lives_ , Yzak vows he will find it and destroy it.


	8. The Supreme Council

_**AU:** Hey everyone! So this chapter is going to be a little different from the rest since Flay is on the PLANTs. Tell me what you all think!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _The Supreme Council_

Flay pulls her jacket over her shoulders and fastens it shut. At some point, she always knew that she would be visiting the PLANTs. Now that the Vesalius has arrived at the PLANTs, her entire body crawls with anxiety. At best, they will release her and send her back to Orb on a shuttle. At the very worse, she will be used as a political hostage to gain leverage over her father.

Flay breathes deeply as she sits down in her bunk. This little room has been her last bastion of privacy since she evacuated Heliopolis. She tries to picture her room in her father's home on Orb. Her heart sinks at the very thought of home. She knows that ZAFT won't release her. Why would they? She's too valuable to them.

Light spills in her room as the door slides open. Rau Le Creuset is standing before the door with Yzak by his side. Flay rises and walks towards them both. She thought she'd be glad to be back in gravity, but she misses being able to float through the ship with ease.

"Am I being released, sir?" Flay keeps her eyes to the floor rather than looking to Commander Le Creuset.

"I do not have an answer for you at this time, Flay," Le Creuset says. "Ezalia Joule, Siegel Clyne, and Patrick Zala all wish to meet with you."

"Patrick Zala...wants to meet with me…?"

"Yes, Flay," a smile curves on Le Creuset's lips.

Flay panics. Her father has spoken of Patrick Zala before. Her father had mentioned that Patrick Zala believes Coordinators are superior to Naturals. She does not wish for her father to be a liar, but part of does hope that he is over exaggerating.

Rau Le Creuset leads the way. Flay walks by Yzak's side. She glances over at him. A long red scar crosses his face where his bandage used to cover. Despite his scarred face, he's still very handsome. She supposes that is how all Coordinators are born - so perfect.

She follows Le Creuset and Yzak onto a ramp as they exit the Vesalius. She feels uneasy as she walks in silence. Perhaps she might have felt more comfortable if she were only meeting with Ezalia Joule and Siegel Clyne. The thought of Patrick Zala terrifies her _especially_ since everyone seems to believe that her father is part of Blue Cosmos.

Flay and Yzak follow Commander Le Creuset outside. Flay looks to all of the tall buildings. The PLANTs seem so different from the Orb colonies. They have this cold, industrious feel to them. Rau Le Creuset approaches a black car parked parallel to the sidewalk. He enters the passenger side. Yzak opens the back door and gesture for Flay to enter. Flay moves behind the driver's seat. Yzak sits next to her and closes the door behind him.

The driver starts the car and pulls into traffic. Flay's entire body is trembling as terror fills her every nerve. Her father must have been exaggerating. Patrick Zala truly can't be as evil as her father has insinuated.

The car parks parallel to the sidewalk. She sees a large government building. Yzak exits the car first and rounds the back of the car. He opens Flay's door and offers her his hand. She takes his hand and stumbles forward in her own nervousness. Yzak catches her and steadies her.

"You're scared," it's an observation rather than a question.

Flay can only nod to him as tears sting her eyes.

"I will talk with my mother before you speak in front of her, Clyne and Zala," he says.

Yzak releases his hands from her arms. Flay looks over the car to see Rau Le Creuset sneering at both of them. She hates the way he smiles. It's as if he finds this whole war amusing rather than horrifying.

"Yzak...Flay," Le Creuset calls to them. "We mustn't keep them waiting any longer."

Le Creuset motions for them to follow him. Flay palms sweat as her anxiety rises. They won't kill her. _They can't_. She hasn't done anything to cause harm to them or their way of life. There must be some legal system to prevent them from taking action against innocent people.

Flay walks through a pair of sliding glass doors. She steps inside a large room. Several men dressed in suits and ZAFT uniforms are scattered throughout the large room. Flay walks by Yzak's side as Le Creuset leads them up a flight of steps and down a long hallway.

The three of them enter a small waiting room. Le Creuset turns to them and says, "Wait here."

Once Rau Le Creuset leaves the room, Yzak pivots towards Flay. "My mother's office isn't far from here. I'll be right back."

Flay nods to him and takes a seat on a steel chair. She heaves a heavy sigh as fear builds within her. She wishes she wasn't so alone.

"Flay…"

Flay's eyes flicker up to see Lacus on the other side of the room. "Lacus…"

Lacus walks towards her and sits next to her. It's odd. The first time she met Lacus Clyne all Flay wanted was for her to leave, but now, she would give everything to keep Lacus near her. Lacus is kind. Lacus would ask her fiancé's father to have mercy.

"I didn't expect to see you here of all places," Lacus says.

"I...was asked to see your father and two other people," Flay replies.

" _Oh_ …" Lacus says. "It must be about your father then."

"He's not what everyone thinks he is," tears fone in her eyes.

Lacus eyes soften as she says, "I will go with you."

"You would do that for me?" Flay asks.

"I said I wanted for us to be friends, didn't I?" Lacus smiles.

"I need to ask you something," Flay pauses for a moment. "How exactly did Sai treat you during your time on the Archangel?"

"He was very hurt," Lacus says. "I don't want to hold what he did against him. He cares about you a lot. I don't want you to resent him for the things he did out of grief."

Flay's entire body goes numb at her words. "What did he do, Lacus?"

"If you must know, I will tell you," Lacus says. "My first experience with him was in the mess hall. Kira was my escort at the time just as Yzak was to you during your time on the Vesalius. Sai...was very angry and said some unkind words to me after I offered my friendship to him. Kira had told me about you, and that he was hurting."

Shock runs through Flay. She had never known Sai to be so hateful. She was always the one that held onto her small prejudices. She never acted on them, of course, but they were still so tucked away inside of her.

"I never knew Sai to be that way," Flay says. "He was such good friends with Kira before all this."

"I have hope that he can revert back to the old Sai that you knew," Lacus smiles. "And after this war, you can both be happy together."

"I don't want to be with him," Flay's voice becomes dark and full of contempt. "I never did. My dad arranged our marriage. I don't think he will ever be who he once was, and I'd rather not see him ever again."

Lacus' eyes are soft and full of compassion as she looks to Flay. Her words were mostly said to convince Lacus that she does not sympathize with Blue Cosmos, but they also feel so _real_. Deep down, she really doesn't care if she sees Sai again, and she doesn't even care that she's been cheating on him for the past week.

"Flay…"

Yzak's voice pulls her attention away from Lacus. She looks to see Yzak standing next to a silver haired woman that can only be Ezalia Joule.

"Lacus?" Ezalia says. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I was actually here to see my father," Lacus says. "And, Flay was also hear waiting with me."

"You two have met before?" Ezalia's eyebrows raise as she looks to Lacus.

"Yes, on the Vesalius," Lacus says. "She has been very kind to me."

"Well, I hate to cut your time together short, but I need to speak with Flay," the woman says.

"I was under the impression that we were all supposed to speak with my father together," Lacus smiles. "That's what I was told, anyways."

"Hmm, I don't remember that you were also supposed to be at this meeting," the silver haired woman replies. "But, this wouldn't be the first time my secretary has mixed up her information. Follow me."

Lacus winks at Flay mischievously. This girl puts off the airs of a naive rich girl, but Flay is starting to think that there's more to her than anyone expects.

Lacus and Yzak are on both sides of her as they follow Ezalia down the hall. Rau Le Creuset is walking towards them. Flay watches as his smirk dissolves from his face. He salutes to Ezalia as she walks past him. Le Creuset had some sort of plan, and Lacus Clyne's intervention must have put a dent in whatever evil he had planned for her.

They stop before a pair of doors. Two ZAFT guards salute Ezalia before opening the doors for her. Flay, Yzak, and Lacus follow Ezalia. Inside the large room, Siegel Clyne is sitting by Patrick Zala. Flay's eyes meet with Patrick Zala. He's just as cold as he seems on when speaking on television.

Patrick Zala's eyes shift to Lacus. "I wasn't aware that you were to attend this meeting Lacus."

"Oh no…" Lacus touches her cheek as she feigns innocence. "There must be some sort of mix up. I thought that I was supposed to be here."

Siegel Clyne looks to Lacus. "Lacus, you may attend if you wish."

Patrick Zala looks towards Siegel Clyne and says. "I don't see your reasoning, but I'll allow it."

Lacus sits before her father. Yzak intentionally takes the seat in front of Patrick Zala rather than his mother as if it shield Flay from him. Flay takes the seat before Ezalia. Their eyes meet briefly before Flay's gaze falls to the floor.

"Flay Allster," Ezalia calls Flay's attention back to her. "Have you ever met this man before?"

She slides picture towards Flay. Flay takes the picture in hand. There is a blonde man in the photo dressed in a light blue suit. _Muruta_? What does he have to do with any of this?

"He's a friend of my father's," Flay says. "I see him whenever I go home during the holidays."

Flay sets the picture back down on the table. Apparently that wasn't the best answer, because Ezalia, Patrick Zala, and Siegel Clyne are all looking to her. Siegel frowns. Patrick Zala glares to her, and Ezalia looks more disappointed than anything.

"Muruta Azrael is the leader of Blue Cosmos," Patrick Zala says.

"I...didn't know," Flay's voice is just above a whisper when she speaks. "I just assumed they were business partners."

"They _are_ business partners," Ezalia says. "They commissioned the Archangel and five high powered mobile suits with their money. The intent was to use their new weapons against ZAFT to further their own goals in the war. Thankfully we were able to recover four of the mobile suits before they could be used against us."

Ezalia pushes forward three photos. Flay glances at them to see three different men. They look so burnt out in their photos much like drug addicts she would see in the downtown area of Heliopolis.

"These are three of the original intended pilots for the five mobile suits," Ezalia pushes forward another picture. "This is your father with Muruta Azrael overseeing these pilots during their training period. Our intelligence tells us that Gamma Glipheptin is being used to alter their performance to match the skills of Coordinators. Your father and Muruta Azrael are exposing boys your age to very dangerous drugs, Miss Allster."

"I...I didn't know…" Flay starts to tear up as she looks to each of the pictures.

"Miss Joule," Lacus speaks. "Flay has always been so kind towards me. I can't imagine she knows of her father's prejudices. Can you really hold her accountable for the sins of her father?"

"Flay Allster was a civilian onboard one of our vessels," Patrick Zala speaks. "Even a fool would no better than to lash out at Siegel Clyne's daughter on a ZAFT warship. She may appear kind to you, Lacus, but who is to know what might be going on in her head."

"She doesn't have a clue what her dad is up to, Mr. Zala," Yzak says. "She seemed so sure he wasn't part of Blue Cosmos. Trust me. I had to hear about it while she looked after me when I was injured."

Ezalia looks to Yzak briefly. She places one more photo before Flay. In the picture Sai is holding a knife to Lacus.

"This is an image captured on the Vesalius' communication screen," Ezalia says. "The man on the screen appears to be your fiancé, Sai Argyle."

Tears are now streaming freely down Flay's face. "I don't know why he is like this. He was friends with a Coordinator."

"Miss Joule, Sai Argyle believes Flay to be dead. As does the rest of her friends aboard the Archangel," Lacus says. "She has absolutely nothing to do with this."

"My father asked me to marry Sai. I didn't know he was capable of any of this," Flay says between sobs. "I don't want to hurt anyone.

Siegel Clyne clears his throat. "I have read through all of the reports, and as far as I can see, Flay has not committed any war crimes nor has she acted against ZAFT or the PLANTs. We cannot try her for her father's crimes."

Patrick Zala looks to Siegel Clyne. "I suppose we can't, but she cannot roam freely through the PLANTs."

"I can have temporary housing set up," Ezalia says. "She will have an escort whenever she leaves the premises. We cannot hold a fifteen year old girl in a jail cell for crimes she hasn't committed, Patrick."

Patrick Zala looks to Flay. He looks to her as if she were a rat rather than a human being. He shifts his gaze forward rather than looking her in the eye when he speaks to her.

"You are wearing a ZAFT uniform," Patrick Zala says. "Did you serve during your time on the Vesalius?"

"I did what I could to help, sir," Flay's voice quivers when she speaks to him.

"Yzak," Patrick Zala looks Yzak dead in the eye. "You mentioned that she looked after you when you were injured?"

"Yes, sir," Yzak speaks.

"I would like to hear your personal experiences in your dealings with Miss Allster at a later juncture," Patrick Zala eyes Flay. "Miss Allster...you will be provided with housing at this time. The house will be surveyed by ZAFT personal at all times. You may not leave unless you are with an escort."

"Thank you, sir," Flay says.

"All three of you are dismissed…"

Yzak rises from his seat and salutes to Patrick Zala. Flay is shaking as she walks in between both Lacus and Yzak as if they are both some kind of shield. A pair of ZAFT guards open the doors for them, and when Flay leaves Patrick Zala's line of sight, she's never felt so more relieved.

She releases a deep breath as she takes in all that has just happened. Lacus places her hand on her shoulder. "Flay, are you alright…?"

"That photo of Papa…" Flay breaks down into tears. "I can't believe it's all true. He really is part of Blue Cosmos."


	9. The New Assignment

_**AN:**_ _Hi! Again, thank you for your comments! I'm glad there are people that are reading this story and enjoying it!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _The New Assignment_

Yzak fastens his long red overcoat and looks into a mirror. His scar isn't a swollen as it once was. He could have it removed now that the Strike pilot probably died on his descent to Earth, but he decides that he will wait until he has confirmation that Athrun's _precious_ friend burned to a crisp upon his fall to Earth.

The intercom buzzes to life. "Yzak, it's Dearka! Le Creuset wants us to meet him on base."

Yzak goes to the front door. He pulls the door open to see Dearka in a matching red uniform. Yzak looks to Dearka and says, "He called me this morning. He says that he has new information to share with all of us."

"Yeah, something like that," Dearka shrugs. "With the Strike falling into the Earth's atmosphere and the Archangel escaping, I guess he's just giving us new orders."

Yzak steps outside of his house and closes the door behind him. He walks with Dearka till they reach Dearka's green sedan. Yzak pulls open the door to the passenger seat and sits inside. Dearka sits by him in the driver's seat.

"Check out what I got," Dearka shifts in his seat to grab a bottle from the back seat.

Dearka hands the bottle to Yzak. _Belvedere Vodka_. "How did you get this?"

"They passed new legislation while we were gone," Dearka says. "If you are enlisted in the military, you can drink even if you aren't of the legal age."

Yzak takes the bottle of vodka from his hands and scoffs. "Laws never stopped us before."

"No, but now we don't have to drink whatever cheap shit we can get our hands on," Dearka grins. "The world is ours, Yzak!"

Yzak shifts in his seat and sets the bottle in the backseat. He crosses arms. "Le Creuset wishes to see us so soon after our arrival. Something is up."

Dearka starts the car and drives out of the front gates. He drives down a long vacant road before pulling out into traffic. Dearka pulls the car up to the front gates of the military base. A dark haired man dressed in a green uniform approaches the car. Dearka holds his finger against a button to roll the car window down.

"IDs please?" the man says.

Yzak reaches in his front pocket for his wallet. He pulls out his military ID and hands it to Dearka. Dearka hands the man both his and Yzak's IDs. The man scans the IDs and returns them to Dearka.

"You're good to go."

Dearka hands Yzak his ID, and Yzak returns it to his wallet. The gates buzz open, and Dearka drives through. He circles through the parking lot until he finds an empty parking space. Once the car is parked, both Dearka and Yzak exit the car.

"That Jade girl tried to smother me yesterday," Dearka cringes. "She asked if I was going to visit her in Arizona."

"What did you tell her?" Yzak says.

"I said ' _God, I hope not_ '," Dearka laughs. "That girl is so damn thirsty, man. I didn't want to be mean, but she was just too much, you know."

Yzak snorts. "I'm just glad we don't have to deal with all those civilians on our ship anymore _especially_ Jade. It wasn't just how desperate she was, but how disruptive she could be."

"Hey, so whatever happened to that Flay chick?" Dearka says. "I didn't see her leave with the rest of the civilians yesterday."

"ZAFT won't release her," Yzak says. "Her dad is involved in some shady shit. They're holding her in a secure location possibly until the war is over."

"That sucks," Dearka says. "I guess it's over for you two then."

"There was nothing really going on, Dearka," Yzak says. "I was just sleeping with her."

" _Lucky_ ," Dearka says. "I haven't been laid in months."

"Jade was more than available," Yzak jests.

" _Please_ , even if I was that desperate, I wouldn't touch that," Dearka says. "That girl would tell everyone, and I'd be court martialed."

Yzak sees Nicol and Athrun at the front entrance. The sight of Athrun Zala makes his blood boil. If his father wasn't the chairman, Yzak is certain that Athrun would never been graced with a redshirt. The two of them share a glance of mutual loathing as Yzak walks towards by him.

"Hello Nicol," Yzak says, purposely neglecting to address Athrun.

"How are you, Yzak?" Nicol says with a smile.

"I'm well," his gaze shifts to Athrun. "I wonder if the Strike made it to Earth. I imagine it's probably a pile of scrap metal now."

Athrun glares to him. Yzak smiles. The thought of Athrun's Coordinator turncoat friend burning up in the atmosphere amuses him.

"How's your scar feeling, Yzak?" Athrun says. "I wonder how it feels knowing that the Strike bested you."

Yzak's fists clench as he pivots towards Athrun. He advances upon Athrun, but Nicol steps in front of him.

"Step out of the way, Nicol!" Yzak says.

"No!" Nicol says. "This needs to end between you two _._ We're supposed to work as a team. It's why the Archangel escaped and why the Strike bested us so many times."

"The Strike bested us, because Athrun couldn't decide what was more important - our team or his _friend_!" Yzak says.

"I fought just as hard as everyone else!" Athrun shouts.

" _What is the meaning of this?"_ All four of the pilots turn to see Commander Le Creuset scowling at them. "Creating a scene on a military base? I expected better of my team."

"I apologize for my behavior, commander," Athrun says. "I was out of line."

 _Athrun Zala_ \- if there were an award for PLANTs Biggest Ass Kiss, Athrun would easily win it. It's clear why Le Creuset favors him so much.

"And you, Yzak?" Commander Le Creuset pivots towards him. "Do you have any words to say for your actions?"

"I was out of line, sir," Yzak says.

"It's a pity the council has entrusted you with new responsibilities, Yzak," Le Creuset says. "I'm not sure you deserve them."

Yzak brow furrows as he looks to Commander Le Creuset. "I wasn't aware I've been given a new assignment, sir."

"I will discuss your assignment later," Le Creuset says. "First we must discuss the Archangel's new whereabouts."

Commander Le Creuset motions for the team to follow him inside the building. Yzak glares to Athrun. Athrun jerks his head away in an attempt to avoid contact with him.

The team follows Le Creuset into a conference room. Captain Ades is seated at one end of the table. Nicol and Athrun sit on one side of the table and Dearka and Athrun sit across from them. Le Creuset sits across from Captain Ades..

There is a small pauses before Commander Le Creuset speaks, "The Strike survived its descent to Earth."

Yzak's chest burns as his entire body tenses. He glares to Athrun who quickly shifts his gaze to avoid eye contact with him. Yzak expects that Athrun will turn on them for the Strike pilot. It's only a matter time before he turns coat with his Coordinator traitor friend.

"At this time, Andrew Waltfeld's team is handling the Archangel and the Strike," Le Creuset says. "I'm interested in seeing the results."

"So, we are to wait and see if Andrew Waltfeld is successful, sir?" Yzak says. "Why not aid him now?"

"We have not been issued an order to leave just yet," Le Creuset says. "Patience Yzak. Patrick Zala wants the Strike destroyed just as much as you do. I imagine we will be sent out to rendezvous with Andrew Waltfeld in due time. Until then, we wait till we are given the order to leave."

"Nicol, Dearka, Athrun - you are all dismissed," Le Creuset says. "Yzak, I need you to stay a bit longer."

Yzak waits until the three of them leave before asking, "Is this about my new assignment, sir?"

"Yes, Yzak," Le Creuset says. "The Council is still unsure of Flay's innocence…"

 _More like Patrick Zala is unsure_. Flay is a teenaged girl that was unfortunate enough to have been caught up in the mess her father created. Can Athrun's father really be so paranoid to believe a fifteen year old girl is plotting against the PLANTs? Yzak supposes incompetence runs in the Zala family.

"Your mother suggested that you be her escort in the event that she is needed outside of her housing," Le Creuset says. "In the meantime, Patrick Zala has asked that you meet with her on occasion and cultivate a friendship with her."

"Why would he want me to be friends with Flay?" Yzak asks. "I'm confused, sir. I don't see what he expects to gain from this."

"If she bonds with a Coordinator, she may reveal valuable information to us out of guilt," Le Creuset says. "Patrick Zala doesn't want his son near her, and he felt that Nicol and Dearka are too friendly. He assumed you would be the best for the job by the basis that you are the least likely to sympathize with the girl."

Yzak keeps his features plain as he looks to Le Creuset. "Will I be compensated for this new assignment, sir?"

"Yes," Le Creuset replies. "You will receive a bonus once your assignment is completed."

"I'll see what sort of information I can get from her, sir," Yzak says.

Le Creuset is grinning at him. Yzak keeps his facial features even to conceal any sign of his _personal_ dealings with Flay Allster show. "Am I dismissed, sir?"

"You are dismissed, Yzak."

Yzak rises from his seat and salutes to Le Creuset. He's not exactly sure how he feels about seeing Flay again. It seemed so much easier an hour ago when he was under the impression that he'd never see her again. Yzak exits the office and sees Dearka waiting for him outside.

"What was that about?" Dearka says.

"I'll tell you when we get to your house," Yzak says. "And, I may need some of that vodka you just bought."


	10. Ezalia Joule

_**AN:** I'm so sorry for the late update, guys! I was out of town for Father's Day to see my dad and step-mom. Anyways, I managed to type up the next chapter. Flay's new journey is going to be paved at the end of this chapter. Let me know what you all think!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Ezalia Joule_

Flay lays back on her bed in a plain white tee and pair of blue jeans. She already hates her life on the PLANTs. She's been held up in this studio flat for three days now. She has had no human contact other than a guard occasionally providing her with food. She can't so much as walk across the street for a cup of coffee. She feels so isolated.

Flay flips on the television. Lacus Clyne is sitting across from what appears to be a talk show host. Flay turns up the volume to the television and sits up in her bed with her legs crossed together.

"What was your time like onboard the OMNI warship, Lacus?" the host says.

Lacus looks to the interviewer. "I think that people are so quick to believe I was tortured and tormented by the Naturals aboard the Archangel. I've read so many exaggerations and assumptions on social media about things that people believe happened to me. They were, for the most part, civil with me. There was one crew member that was uncomfortable with me, but I think that he was grieving in a destructive way. I truly believe that people can grow past their own fears and prejudices even with this specific person."

"You are such an inspiration Lacus," the interviewing says. "It takes a lot of strength to be so forgiving in such hard times. What do you think is the best thing all of us can do to end the war?"

"I think that we all need to understand that Naturals are people just like us," Lacus says. "Some of them are just trying to live their lives and want no part in this war. Some are enlisted in OMNI, because they are think they are protecting their loved ones. I think that if we can try and understand each other that we may be able to find peace."

Flay is caught between crippling envy and pure admiration of Lacus. All of PLANT seems to adore her and her father. She already has a successful career, she's so well spoken, and she's engaged to the Supreme Chairman's son. Lacus' life seems like such a beautiful dream. It's hard not to be so jealous of someone that has everything when she has nothing left.

There is a knock at the door. Flay climbs out of her bed and walks towards the door. She opens it to see Yzak on the other side with a large cup of coffee in one hand and a black plastic bag in the other. Her heart flutters at the sight of him. She hadn't realized that she truly missed him until now.

Flay steps aside for Yzak. She shuts the door closes and looks to him. "Uh...hi."

He offers her the coffee. "I remember how much you liked coffee. I wasn't sure what you liked so I got you the standard mocha latte."

Flay takes the coffee from Yzak. "Thank you."

Yzak sets the plastic bag on the table. "My mom wants to meet with you. There's a dress and shoes for you in this bag."

Flay sets her coffee down on the table. She grabs the plastic bag and goes to the bathroom. She pulls of her white t-shirt and blue jeans. Flay opens the black bag and pulls out a simple black sleeveless dress. She pulls it over her head and adjust the dress till it reaches her knees. Flay retrieves a pair of simple black closed toe heels from the bag and pulls them on her feet. Flay looks in the mirror. Her mother used to dress just like this before she died.

Flay misses her mom more than ever.

Flay steps outside of the room. She walks to Yzak with her eyes to the floor. She's not exactly sure what she should say to him. He was present at her meeting with The Supreme Council. He saw what her father truly was. He must hate her now.

Flay grabs her coffee from the table and follows Yzak outside of her flat. Flay follows Yzak down a hallway and into an elevator. She sips her coffee as the two stand in silence. Flay looks to him. Their eyes meet, and she's reminded of all of the times she spent with him during her last week aboard the Vesalius. Sometimes it feels as if none of that ever even happened between them.

The elevator dings as the door opens. Flay follows Yzak outside of the elevator and through a lobby. Yzak walks to a black sedan parked on the sidewalk. He opens the passenger side door for her. Flay sits in the passenger seat and sips her coffee. Yzak closes her door and rounds the front of the car. He pulls open his door and sits in the driver seat. Yzak starts the car and pulls into traffic.

"How have you been?"

Flay looks to Yzak. "I've been fine...I guess."

She sips her coffee and sets it into the cup holder to the left of her. Flay's eyes peer out her side window. PLANT is so different from Heliopolis. It's so clean and industrialized. There are so many screens advertising so many things, and during night hours, the city lights up with thousands of neon lights. Flay looks to the shops on the streets. She wonders if the credit card her father gave her still works. She pulls herself from her thoughts. She shouldn't be wasting her thoughts on something so insignificant; not when she has so many more important priorities than burning up her father's credit card. She was such a vain, selfish little girl before all of this happened. It's almost as if God has decided to punish her for all her spiteful thoughts and selfish tendencies.

The car parks in front of the same government building she had been escorted to upon her arrival to Aprilius One. Yzak parks the car parallel to the sidewalk. He exits the car and rounds the front to open Flay's door for her. She steps outside. Her calves are shaking, but she's not nearly as terrified as she was her first day in the PLANTs.

Flay walks by Yzak's side. The automated glass doors slide open for them. She sees Athrun Zala walking towards them. Yzak's eyes narrow to Athrun. Athrun keeps his face neutral as he approaches Yzak.

"Andrew Waltfeld seems to be having difficulty fighting the Strike and the Archangel," Athrun says. "Commander Le Creuset wants all four of us on standby until then."

 _Kira_. Flay isn't sure what she should feel, but part of her is grateful that he's still alive. She hardly knew Kira. He was always so nervous around her. Sai seemed to like him well enough back then - although Tolle and Miriallia were much closer to Kira. She wonders if Sai and Kira are still friends. _Probably not_.

"If Waltfeld fails, I don't care what I have to do. I will _end_ the Strike," Yzak says.

Athrun frowns to Yzak. "Your obsession is going to get us killed."

" _No_ ," Yzak says. "Your inability to set your personal feelings aside is the problem. Anyways, I don't have time to argue with you, Athrun. I'm here to speak with my mother."

Athrun looks to Flay. "Commander Le Creuset still has you looking after this girl?"

"My mother asked to speak with her," Yzak snaps. "Mind your own business, Athrun."

Yzak walks passed Athrun. Flay's eyes meet with Athrun for a moment. "Um...excuse me, Mr. Zala."

Flay follows Yzak up a flight of stairs. They round a corner into a hallway. Yzak approaches the second door to the left. He presses the a button. "I'm here to see my mother."

"Of course, Mr. Joule!" a cheery voice calls through the intercom.

The door slides open. Flay follows Yzak inside. Seated at the table is a petite brunette woman. She smiles to Yzak. "It's good to see you, Mr. Joule."

She rises from the chair and leads Yzak and Flay down a cramped hallway. The secretary opens the door at the end of the hallway and says, "Your son is here with a girl."

Flay follows Yzak inside. Flay's legs start to shake again as she sits in the chair directly in front of Ezalia Joule. Ezalia must hate her just as Patrick Zala must hate her. Flay wishes that Siegel Clyne was sitting across from her. He would be so kind.

"You have had time to think over your father's actions," Ezalia says.

"I…" Flay pauses, searching for words. "I was so blind to all that was going around me. He must have wanted to keep me away from all of it. It was easier for him that way…"

"You have a fiance that openly threatened the life of Lacus Clyne," Ezalia says.

"My father arranged that marriage," Flay is careful with her words. "I can't exactly end it with Sai face to face, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm no longer engaged."

"I wanted to ask you a personal favor," Ezalia says.

Flay's eyes flicker up to Ezalia's. _A favor?_ Flay recognizes her place. She's but a helpless girl caught in between wartime politics. It's not as if she has any notable skills that can help ZAFT. What possible could Ezalia want from her?

"I...would be honored," Flay says.

"Your father is such a strong presence in Blue Cosmos," Ezalia says. "This war was built on the backs of men like your father and Muruta Azrael. You cannot be held accountable for the actions of your father, but you can make a substantial difference if you speak against him. To see the daughter of an elite Blue Cosmos official speak out against his actions would be a powerful message to send."

Flay's heart feels as if it has stopped. Her entire body goes numb, and she feels as if she's lost the ability to talk.

"You have interacted with my son and Lacus Clyne," Ezalia says. "You know them well enough now to know that we are human just as you are, Flay. You can make a difference for all of us."

Flay is rendered speechless. She is not only a hostage, but now, she has become a political pawn to be used at ZAFT's expense. She feels so helpless - _so completely powerless_.

But, Ezalia Joule is correct. Her father is part of Blue Cosmos, and Sai is now following done the same ugly path. To speak against him would be the morally correct path to take. She doesn't even have a choice. To reject Ezalia Joule would make her hostage situation so much more uncomfortable than it already is.

"I...would...be," her voice catches in her throat for a moment. "I would be honored to do so, Ms. Joule."

Her lips curve into a smile. "I was hoping that you would, Flay."

Flay rises from wear she sits as Ezalia rounds the desk to meet with her. She holds out her hand, and Flay takes it. They shake hands.

"You are doing the right thing, Flay," Ezalia says. "I'm proud of you."


	11. Perfect

_**AN:**_ _This chapter is longer than most of them. I thought in a nod to Gundam SEED Destiny in this chapter that I hope all of you will like. These past few chapters are going to tie into some future development, and it's going to fun writing a different path for Flay. I always felt like she was killed off before she really had a chance to shine._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Perfect_

The walls of her studio flat feel as if they are closing in on her. Flay sits on her bed in a pair blue jeans and a plain white tee. Since her meeting with Ezalia Joule, she's had a hard time sleeping at night. Part of her just wants to call the whole televized interview off and accept the consequences. She could be a martyr for the Earth Alliance. She could be something for them to fight for. It feels so tragically beautiful in her head, but the reality of it is all so clear. Her father's program with Muruta Azrael will be leaked, and she'll be looked upon as the racist daughter of a genocidal man.

 _He cannot be that evil._ Flay has repeated the thought over and over again since her first meeting with the Supreme Council. Flay has tried to rationalize her father's decisions in her mind. He must be scared of Patrick Zala. He must be afraid that Naturals will be wiped out. Her rationalization of her father's actions should make her feel better, but they never do.

But, even after all she knows, Flay just wants to go home. She wants to be safe in her room at Orb. She wants to be with the friends she knows from home. She wants to go back to that place of innocence before Heliopolis was sieged. _There is no going home_. Flay knows this. Until the war is over, she'll never set foot on Orb again. She's stuck here.

 _Unless…_

 _No_...

Flay knows she's not cut out to be a soldier. She cries every night, and she's barely brave enough to face Ezalia Joule without bursting into tears. How can she really expect to join ZAFT? _But_ , if she joined, she would have more freedom. She would still be watched, but maybe she could find a way back home.

" _Papa…_ "

Even after everything, she just wants to go home. Flay lays back in her bed and stares at the ceiling. He's _horrible_. He's exploiting teenagers her age to fight for him. She knows what kind of a person he is, but she cannot just push him out of her life. Maybe, she could change him. She could tell him about Yzak and Lacus. Maybe, he'll listen to him. Flay's eyes snap shut as tears slip past the corners of her eyes.

She'll do this for Ezalia Joule. No matter how much she hates this, it's the only way. If she can gain ZAFTs trust, they'll let her join.

A knock at the door disrupts Flay from her thoughts. She lets out a deep breath. She opens the door to see Yzak standing on the other side. She stands aside and lets him walk inside. Flay closes the door and looks up to him.

Flay is torn between wanting to throw her arms around him and wanting to keep her distance. Maybe she was foolish to think sleeping with him would gain her some sort of upper hand. Maybe it would have been better just to leave well enough alone and let Patrick Zala dish out whatever punishment he had in store for her. At least, then, she wouldn't have to sit through a televised broadcast where she would be denouncing her own father.

"Hey," Yzak says.

His voice pulls her from her thoughts. Flay looks to him. It takes her a beat before she finds the courage to speak.

"Hi," she says.

"My mother asked you to do this," Yzak looks into her eyes. "Why did you agree?"

"It's the right thing to do," she practically has to force the words from her mouth.

"I don't believe you," he says.

"I…"

"You think we're going to hurt you if you don't," his eyes shift from hers as he crosses his arms.

" _No_ ," her voice is smoother this time. "I saw the pictures. I saw what he did. I _want_ to do this."

Flay is impressed with how well her words came out. _It's the only way_. The only way she can join ZAFT is to convince Ezalia Joule that she's on their side. There can't be even a sliver of a doubt that she might have any attachment to her father left. Flay forces all her fears and all her emotions from her. She looks up into Yzak's eyes with all the confidence she can muster.

"I won't lie," she begins. "I lived in fear of Coordinators before all of this. My father had told me to be afraid - that you would kill us all. He said these things to control me... _to make me live in fear_. I saw Lacus on TV. She seemed so sure that we can all live together in peace. I want to be like her, Yzak. I want to show the world that we can live in peace."

Their eyes meet. He steps towards her and takes both of her cheeks in hand. He leans forward and places a chaste kiss upon her lips. Flay's entire body feels as if it's been set on fire. Her hands grip the white fabric of his blazer. He pulls away from her, and Flay's head feels light as a feather.

"We should get going," he says.

Flay follows Yzak outside of the door. Her cheeks still burn as she brings her fingers to her lips. She shouldn't be this attracted to him. Flay drops her hand to her side. Her chest tightens as she tries to rationalize her behavior. She started this to ensure her survival. She only likes him, because he makes her feel safe. It's nothing more. It can _never_ be more.

Yzak stops and presses the button to signal the elevator. The elevator dings open. Flay follows Yzak inside. He selects the ground the floor, and they both descend in silence. The door dings open and Flay follows Yzak through the apartment lobby. They exit the lobby, and Flay follows Yzak to his car. He opens the door, and Flay sits in the passenger seat. Yzak rounds the car and opens the driver's side door. He sits in the driver's seat and turns on the car. He pulls out into traffic and speeds down the road.

Flay counts backwards in her head as she tries to remain calm. She feels as if something is crawling through her skin. Her head feels so light. It almost as if she's about to pass out. Flay reminds herself of her objective. She _must_ convince everyone that she is on ZAFT's side. If she cannot join ZAFT, she will be stuck in that apartment until the Supreme Council is generous enough to release her.

The car rounds a corner and pulls into a parking lot. Flay sees a rectangular building with several reflective windows come into view. _Aprilius 1 Broadcasting Station_ is written above at the front entrance in big white letters. Flay breathes deeply as the car parks. Yzak exits the car and rounds the front of the car. He opens her door and offers her his hand. Flay takes it. Her head still feels light, and she feels as if she's going to fall over. Flay forces herself to stay focused. She cannot look weak - _not even for a second_.

Flay looks up to Yzak. "I'm ready."

He nods to her, and she follows him without question. They enter the front lobby, and Flay spots Ezalia Joule at the front desk. Ezalia walks towards her.

"Flay," she says. "How are you feeling?"

Flay forces herself to look Ezalia in her blue eyes. She tries to picture her mother's eyes as she gathers all the courage she has tucked away inside.

"I'm doing fine," Flay says. "It's just...I've never been on TV before."

"It's really not as bad as you might think. The interviewer will ask you a series of questions. All you have to do is answer them to the best of your abilities," Ezalia says. "Follow me."

Flay parts from Yzak and follows Ezalia through a hallway. They open a room to a small dressing room. Ezalia closes the door behind her.

"The news station has been running ads for this interview," Ezalia says. "I imagine your father will be watching."

"I figured," Flay forces herself to keep eye contact with Ezalia. "But, I need to do this."

Ezalia places her hand of Flay's shoulder. "Patrick Zala was worried you might speak against us tonight."

Flay shakes her head. "That was never my intention, Ms. Joule."

"Good," she says.

Ezalia goes to the door. Her hands is on the doorknob. Flay could just let her leave. She could forget about joining ZAFT, and let this be the end of it.

"Wait!" Flay calls out to her.

Ezalia turns to her. Her eyes look to Flay. Flay takes a small step forward and draws in a deep breath.

"I want to make this right somehow," Flay says. "I know what my dad has done. I know how wrong it was. _I..._ I want to join ZAFT."

Her eyes soften as she looks to her. "It's a noble thought, but Flay...When you sign enlistment papers, you are signing up to fight a war. You might die...you might kill."

"I've seen the risks already," Flay says. "I'm not afraid."

"I will see what I can do," Ezalia says. "But please, try to focus on this for now."

Ezalia turns away from Flay and exits the room. Flay collapses on a leather couch and releases a deep sigh. She's not even sure how convincing she was. Flay is starting to doubt that Ezalia will even allow her to join ZAFT. Maybe she shouldn't have tried in the first place.

The door opens to reveal two woman dressed in cutesy pantsuits. Flay's eyes flicker up to them.

"Hello, Miss Allster," a perky violet haired woman says. "My name is Rain. I'm part of the makeup team."

Flay rises from the couch and walks towards Rain. "It's nice to meet you."

Rain takes her wrist in hers and guides her to a chair in front of a mirror. "What you are doing is so brave! All of Aprilius One has been talking about it!"

"Uh...thank you," Flay says.

"I heard you met Lacus!" a long blue haired woman practically squeals.

"Um, yeah," Flay manages to say as she looks into the girl's brown hair. "She's really nice."

"Oh my god!" the girl almost hyperventilates. "What is she like! Was she with Athrun! You have to tell me everything!"

"Calm down, Meer," Rain scolds. "You're making her nervous."

"It's okay," Flay says. "Lacus has done so much for me. I wish there was some way I could thank her for what she has done for me."

Meer let's out a high pitched squeal. Flay had thought Jade Martin to be the most desperate girl in the galaxy. That was until today. She resists the urge to cringe as Meer continues to ramble on about Lacus. Flay's changed her mind. She doesn't envy Lacus anymore.

"Meer…" Rain groans. "Bring me some dresses please."

Flay waits for Meer to leave the room before saying, "Thank you."

"She's... _an intern_ ," Rain says. "She wants to get into the entertainment business. I don't think she'll last. The producers don't like her much."

" _Gee_ , I wonder why," Flay rolls her eyes.

"They won't let her work whenever Lacus is here for obvious reasons," Rain laughs. "So...Yzak Joule? He's pretty cute, huh?"

Flay reminds herself where she is. Each and every employee is probably probing her for information. "I don't really know him well, but he seems nice."

"Come on!" Rain says. "You can't deny he's pretty hot!"

"I haven't really thought much about it," Flay says. "I've been so overwhelmed with all the stuff with my dad."

Rain sighs. "I guess I wouldn't really be checking out guys if I were in your shoes either."

Rain plugs in a curling iron. She grabs a comb and begins to work on her hair. It feels like forever as the girl curls the ends of her hair and applies what feels like a pound of makeup. Just as Rain finishes her makeup, Meer bursts in with three different dresses in hand.

"Meer!" Rain snaps. " _Where were you_?"

"I got lost," Meer says.

Rain places her hands on her hips. "Lacus isn't scheduled today, Meer."

"I wasn't looking for Lacus!" Meer whines. "I got lost, Rain! I promise!

Rain rolls her eyes and motions Meer to come towards her. "Let me see the dresses."

Rain takes all three of the dresses from her hand. "We have this blue one."

"No, not blue," Flay says.

" _Oh,_ " Rain says. "Of course not."

She sets the dress aside and holds two dresses with both her hands. "We have a silver dress and a red dress."

"Silver sounds nice," Flay says before she can even think.

Flay slips out of her jeans and pulls off her tee shirt. She steps inside the silver, sleeveless dress. Rain helps her zip up the dress. Flay looks into the mirror. She looks like she's stepped out of a dream. Flay looks down at her sneakers and frowns.

Rain opens a box near the mirror. She grabs a pair of silver high heels. "Here, see if these fit. Lacus wore them a couple of days ago."

"Lacus...wore...those!" Meer squeeks each word

"Meer... _enough_!" Rain snaps.

Flay takes her sneakers and socks off. She slips on the shoes and fastens the strap. They fit perfectly.

Rain glances to her watch. "It's almost call time."

Flay follows Rain to the door.

"It was nice to meet you, Flay!" Meer shouts. "If you see Lacus, tell her I said hi!"

"Yeah…sure," Flay says.

Rain closes the door behind them. Flay looks to Rain. "I hope that is the last time I ever see that girl."

"I'm so sorry about that," Rain says. "She's...really odd."

Rain leads Flay through a hallway till they reach the end. Rain opens a door for Flay. There are a bunch of black curtains set up around the room. Rain leads Flay through the curtains to a set. The bright lights and cameras make her feel nauseous. There is a dark haired man in a suit seated at a chair. Rain leaders her to the empty chair facing what must be the interviewer.

"Try not to be nervous Flay," Rain says. "Just answer the questions to the best of your abilities."

Flay nods and sits in the empty seat. The interviewer is fiddling with the cuff of his suit. He looks at her for a moment and gives her a small smile.

"We're live in five," a man announces. "Four...three...two...one."

The interviewer looks to Flay. "Miss Allster, it is a pleasure to finally meet with you."

"It is a pleasure to be here," Flay replies.

"You've been quite the interesting figure," the interviewer replies. "All of Aprilius One has been awaiting this interview."

Flay tries to picture she is Lacus with all of her charms and grace. She tries to channel all that Lacus is. She looks to the interviewer and says, "I never imagined that I would be here or the PLANTs even. It's been quite an experience."

The man smiles to her. "We aired a story about your father and Muruta Azrael last week. This story documented your father's involvement in Blue Cosmos. Were you ever aware that he was a part of Blue Cosmos growing up?"

"There were signs that I was too young to understand," Flay says, "I wasn't aware until recently that these signs were a part of something so terrible."

"Miss Allster, this must be hard for you," the interviewing looks her directly in the eyes. "How did you react when you discovered your father was part of Blue Cosmos?"

"I was in shock at first," Flay says. "A part of me fell into a state of denial. I wanted to believe that he was coerced into Blue Cosmos at first, but there's was also so much proof."

"You said there were always signs of your father's alignment to Blue Cosmos," the interviewing says. "If you would, please elaborate on these signs."

"They were little things at first," Flay says. "He never wanted me to marry a Coordinator and arranged for me to marry a Natural. There was the paranoia he had when Patrick Zala was elected. He had told me that there would be a Natural genocide. I was so young at the time that I just tried not to think about all of it."

"This boy you are engaged to," the interviewer begins. "We have identified him as Sai Argyle. Mr. Argyle has enlisted in the Earth Federation. Does this trouble you?"

"It does bother me sometimes," Flay says. "I can't really say we're engaged anymore. It was my father's choice, and I think we are both on such different paths now. I have no desire to enlist in the Earth Federation, and I can't really see us getting back together."

"Miss Allster, we are aware that Mr. Argyle assaulted Lacus Clyne," the interviewer says. "Does this factor into your decision to invalidate your engagement?"

"It's part of the reason, yes," Flay answers. "I think I have always had doubts from the very beginning. Sai was always friendly towards me, and he seemed so happy with our engagement. I had convinced myself I was happy, but deep down, I was always trying to find a way out. His actions against Lacus Clyne were the final straw. If he was willing hurt a girl he barely knew, I feared that he would do the same to me in our marriage."

"Has Mr. Argyle always shown aggressive tendencies?" the interviewer asks.

"Not that I noticed," Flay says. "He was friendly with the Coordinators at school. I hear that war changes people, and I fear that might be what has happened to him."

"Do approve of your father's actions, Miss Allster?" the interviewer asks.

"No, not in the slightest."

"Your father may be watching as we speak," the interviewer says. "If you could talk to him right now, what would you tell him?"

"I would tell him to reconsider his actions," Flay says. "I have had some time to think since I've been in the PLANTs. We studied several wars in class. World War II sticks out clearly. The Roosevelt was the ship sent out to Junius 7, but Franklin D. Roosevelt seemed to oppose everything that Blue Cosmos stands for. We all look to leaders like Adolf Hitler in horror. Blue Cosmos preaches similar views. Blue Cosmos says that Coordinators control the money and the banks. They believe that to be Natural is the be the _pure_ race. I want my father to really think about the people he's involved with and the programs he's funding. All of this feels like some sort of Earth pride. I'm sure there's a better word for it…"

"Nationalism?" the interviewer says.

"Yes, Earth Nationalism," she says. "Thank you."

"Flay Allster," the interviewer smiles to her. "You are truly an inspiration to all of us here in the PLANTs. It's been a pleasure speaking with you."

The lights dim.

"And _cut_!" a man says. "Great job everyone!"

The interviewer's eyes shift away from her as if she never existed. It all feels so _fake_. Ezalia Joule steps out onto the set. Flay forces herself to stand and walk towards her.

"Flay, you were perfect," she says. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Ms. Joule."

 _Perfect_. That's what she wanted, wasn't it? Yet, Flay feels so _hollow_.


	12. The New Recruit

_**AN:**_ _Thank you all for your comments! Hearing from each of you makes me so happy! I'm glad that you all loved the Meer reference. The two Skygrasper pilots mentioned in this chapter are Mu and Cagalli (Tolle will take over later, obviously). I promise that Flay will be able to escape all of the manipulation at one point, but probably not in the way one would expect. Flay was also the original pilot for Strike Rouge in Fukuda's first draft for Gundam SEED. I have an idea of where I might go with that, but that won't be for a few chapters. Anyways..._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _The New Recruit_

Andrew Waltfeld had failed. His remains were never found in wreckage. ZAFT has listed him as MIA, but the chances of his survival are almost impossible. The same could not be said for his partner Aisha. Yzak sympathizes with her family. The way her remains were found would require a closed casket funeral. He would hate to die in such a way and return to his mother in pieces. The Strike must be destroyed. The Strike pilot has proven to be far more dangerous than any of them originally anticipated. Yzak touches his scare briefly as a reminder of how dangerous this Earth Alliance pilot actually is.

Yzak pays the taxi driver and thanks him. He exits the taxi and walks towards the base. He stops at the front base and retrieves his identification card for the man at the front gate. The man looks to his ID and nods. He presses the gates open. Yzak enters the gates. He wishes he was more confident, but the leadership in his team is questionable. Le Creuset seems to favor Athrun, and Athrun's attachments to the Strike pilot have constantly caused them pilots.

Rusty and Miguel have already lost their lives. If this continues, they may all die at the hands of the Strike. Le Creuset asked them all to meet on base for deployment shortly after Waltfeld's death. The Archangel is theorized to risk a trip to Alaska. Their supplies must be short now, and the crew has grown weary over the nonstop assault on their ship. If ever there was an opportunity to sink the Archangel, it is now.

He sees Dearka, Nicol, and Athrun waiting at the front door. Dearka grins to him. "Yo!"

"Hey," Yzak says.

"We're waiting for Commander Le Creuset," Nicol says. "He told Athrun that we/re taking in a new recruit to pilot a Ginn."

That's... _different._

"A Ginn isn't going to hold up against the Strike," Yzak says. "We're wasting our resources."

"It doesn't make sense to me either," Athrun says.

Yzak looks to Athrun. It's very rare when they agree, but this situation is so bizarre to him. His eyes shift to see Le Creuset walking toward them with a girl in a green uniform. _Flay?_ Every nerve in his body sets off. She's going to get herself killed.

"Sir," Yzak says. "We're supposed to be training a new pilot on the simulator. It's not programmed for Natural reflexes."

"I had a new program installed in the simulator," Le Creuset looks down to Flay. "I'm sure that you will do splendidly, Flay."

"I'm...going to pilot a mobile suit?" Flay voice is crippled with panic.

"Ezalia Joule wasn't going to let you join, Flay," Le Creuset grins. "But, I managed to sway her decision. This is what you wanted, wasn't it? To join ZAFT?"

Flay responds with a simple nod.

"Commander," Yzak looks to Le Creuset with narrowed eyes. "Andrew Waltfeld sent us reports on the Strike and both of the Skygrasper pilots' performance. She's not going to be able to stand a chance."

"Are you questioning my decisions, Yzak?" Le Creuset lips curve into a sneer.

"No... _sir_ ," Yzak responds.

By hearing Le Creuset out, his mother might have just signed Flay's death certificate. Maybe that is the point of all this. If Flay were to die in a Ginn on the battlefield, she would no longer be a problem for ZAFT. They could spin a story about how she died with honor, and soon after that, she would be so easily forgotten. It shouldn't bother him, but it does.

Flay eyes are low as she walks to Yzak. She looks up at him for a moment before her eyes fall back down to the floor. Yzak looks to Le Creuset. His mask conceals so much, but Yzak can imagine a sadistic glance hidden behind the lenses of his mask.

All of this is _wrong_. This girl is going to end up dead. She's completely outclassed each of the pilots on that ship. Yzak raises his eyes to meet the lenses on Le Creuset's mask.

"Commander, allow me to oversee her training on the simulator," Yzak says.

Le Creuset gives him a half smile. Yzak feels as if Le Creuset _knows_ something. _No_ , he couldn't know. Dearka is the only one that was privy to what happened between him and Flay. Dearka would never say a word. Yzak tries to appear as calm as he possibly can as he looks to Le Creuset.

"I'll allow it," Le Creuset finally says.

Nicol looks to Flay. His brown eyes soften. Nicol pivots towards Le Creuset with balled fists.

"I don't think we should have her out in a Ginn, Commander," Nicol says. "She's already visibly frightened. We all were trained at an academy, and she's being trained by a program. I'm sorry, sir, but I must speak freely about this."

"Flay asked to join ZAFT," Le Creuset. "The decision isn't up to you Nicol. She signed enlistment papers on her own accord."

"When I signed up for the academy, I signed up to be trained as an officer," Nicol says. "I _asked_ to be a pilot. This girl just signed a bunch of papers probably thinking she was going to be a medical assistant. She hasn't even been to boot camp. Sir...this isn't right."

"Did I ask for your opinion, Nicol?" Le Creuset's voice is cool yet threatening.

"No, sir," Nicol says.

"I have given you all your orders," Le Creuset says. "I will hear no more on this matter."

"Yes, sir," they all say in unison.

Le Creuset leads the group inside the front lobby and through the base. Flay is by his side, stealing small glances at him. He's not sure what to tell her. _Sure, go out there and fight the Strike. It will be fine_. He must tell her the truth. Her first day out is a disaster waiting to happen. The Strike and Archangel must be destroyed - at least before Le Creuset decides that Flay's training is over.

Yzak's eyes flicker to the back of Le Creuset's head. He had always been so consumed with his obsession with the Strike that he's never noticed all the little insidious things his commanding officer has done. Le Creuset had Flay working without compensation since the moment she arrived on the Vesalius. There was that situation where he got a little too close to Flay in the medbay. There's also his odd favoritism of Athrun Zala. Perhaps, he's closer to Patrick Zala than Yzak initially believed him to be.

They reach the Vesalius. Yzak and Flay are the last to walk up the ramp into the ship. He looks to Le Creuset and tries to keep his features even.

"Sir," he says. "Flay's access in the ship was restricted the last time she was onboard. Allow me to give her a tour of the vessel."

"Of course, Yzak."

Le Creuset's linger on both of them a tad longer than Yzak is comfortable with. Yzak's eyes shift to Flay. She looks to him with wide eyes. She's completely terrified. He parts from the group and Flay follows. Once they round the corner, Yzak stops and looks to her. If she's going to live through this, he's going to have to be honest with her.

" _Flay_ …" his voice is full of warning. "I need you to listen to me."

"I will," she says as she wipes a stray tear. "I promise."

"I'm going to do the best I can to teach you how to pilot a Ginn," he says. "I cannot make any promises about what is going to happen in the future."

"I know…" she whispers.

"You might be a decent pilot, but you're most likely going to be below average," Yzak says. "The first thing I'm going to ask you to do is never engage the Strike. No matter how good you think you are, you won't be on his level. Andrew Waltfeld was one of ZAFT's best. The Strike killed him with no notable losses. There is no possible way you have the training or the aptitude that Waltfeld had. If you engage the Strike, you _will_ die."

"Okay…" her voice is breathless as she nods softly.

"There are two reported Skygrasper fighters on the Archangel," Yzak says. "One of the pilots is reported to be more skilled than most Coordinators, the other has been reported as above average. If they engage you, take defensive action. Le Creuset will encourage you to try to help us, but the truth is _you can't_. Andrew Waltfeld picked only the best on his team, and both pilots were able to engage his team without much hardship."

"What do you want me to do?" Flay says between sobs.

"Just stay back, Flay," he says. "I'll show you some defensive maneuvers. If you run into trouble, try to retreat or find Dearka, Nicol, or myself."

"And, Athrun…?"

"I can't speak for him," Yzak says. "The Strike pilot was a personal friend of his at one point. You can't depend on Athrun to protect you, Flay."

Flay is shaking as she holds herself. She probably thought she'd be signing up to work with Doctor Frazier or as an officer's personal secretary. This girl is way in over her head. He puts both of his hands on Flay's shoulders.

"Stop crying," he says. "The Strike pilot, the Skygrasper pilots, the Archangel Crew - none of them will care if you're crying. They are trying to survive just as much as you are. The Earth Allaince now sees you as a traitor. If you are captured, they will treat you as a war criminal. You can cry tonight if you want, but after that, you're going to have to find better ways of dealing with your problems, Flay. Being this emotional is going to get you killed."

Her eyes dilate as she looks up to him. He feels cruel being so blunt with her, but better to be honest than let her be fooled by whatever bullshit Le Creuset is soon to feed her. She collapses into his chest and sobs. He places one arm around her in some attempt to comfort her one last time. She'll either die on the battlefield, or worse, be subjected to torture if captured by the Earth Alliance. She was much safer in the PLANTs under his mother's watchful eye. What was this girl thinking when she signed enlistment papers?


	13. Private Allster

_**AN:**_ _So, obviously, using a simulation and going out into the field is going to be way different. I'm going to try and explore that in later chapters. I think the show tried to show that with Tolle, but didn't really have time to give him much character development. Her first experience is obviously going to be traumatizing when she sees exactly what it's like._

 _Since Kira was an on the spot draft rather than a trained soldier, his decisions were emotional decisions such as cultivating a relationship with Flay so quickly. Flay and Yzak are still endgame, but I also want to stay true to their characters._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Private Allster_

The soft sound of the door opening stirs Flay from her sleep. She pulls the covers over herself when she sees Commander Le Creuset in the doorway rather than Yzak. A shiver runs down her spine as the eyes of his mask seem to bore down on her. Flay bites her lip to fight back her tears. Yzak had told her not to cry anymore. So, she won't - especially in front of Commander Le Creuset.

Le Creuset flicks the lights on in her small room. Flay pulls the covers over her shoulders. He could do whatever he wants to her, and she couldn't do anything to stop him. She's such a stupid girl. She thought she could play Ezalia Joule like she was one of her schoolgirl peers in Heliopolis. She should have known that she was in over her head. Ezalia Joule is a politician. She's played men and women far smarter to get where she was.

But, Le Creuset? He's the most manipulative of them all. This man has an angle - perhaps for money or power. Flay isn't quite sure. All she knows is that he has a plan, and he's been playing everyone in PLANT for a fool.

"I thought Yzak was supposed to oversee my training?" Flay keeps her voice even.

"He is," Le Creuset says.

"But, you're here instead, sir?" she asks. "Is there a problem, Commander?"

"Flay, I know what you've been up to," he says.

Her skin crawls as he walks closer to her. " _Flay, Flay, Flay_...I know exactly what you've been up to."

Flay swallows the nervous lump in her throat. "I've been under house arrest. I'm not sure what you mean."

"Befriending Lacus Clyne, your sexual relationship with Yzak Joule," he grins at her. "Did you really think you were that smart?"

"Lacus befriended me," Flay says. "There's nothing going on between Yzak and I."

"Hmm," he says. "I'm insulted. You truly think I'm that daft to not be aware of what is happening on my ship."

"I'm not insulting you," she says. "I'm telling you the truth."

He sighs. "I don't expect you to admit to any of it. _Still_ , it doesn't change the facts. I could have returned you to your father if you truly wanted, but you've messed that up for yourself too."

Flay clings to her covers as she looks up to him. "Sir, what do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from you anymore," he says. "You no longer serve any purpose for me. _Alas_ , I will find a replacement. You've won your place in ZAFT, but you'll have to fight for it. I'm a sore loser, Flay. If you want your freedom, you'll have to fight for it."

"I'll say something to Ezalia," she says. "You're playing her too."

"She won't believe you. Actually, she doesn't like you very much, Flay," Le Creuset says. "You might have thought you were using her, but it was quite the opposite actually."

He turns his back on her and walks to the door. He stops and looks over her shoulder. "It will be a pleasure serving with you, Private Allster."

Le Creuset places his hand on the door switch. The door opens for him and swishes shut. Flay's entire body trembles as she processes what exactly just occurred. Her first thought is tell Yzak, but what can he really do? Rau Le Creuset is his commanding officer. Her second thought is to haul ass to the Archangel and surrender. But, she can't. They will throw her in the brig and turn her over to the Earth Alliance. Her father won't help her - not after everything she said.

She's trapped.

Flay feels as if her life is one shifting from one prison to another. Is this truly why her father hated Coordinators so much? _No_. She refuses to fall back on her old beliefs. Yzak and Lacus are not evil like Rau Le Creuset. Flay is caught between wanted to collapse in on herself and finding a gun to blow Rau Le Creuset's head off.

Tears start to form in the back of her eyelids. Flay drops her covers to the side and floats to her closet. The door swishes open. Flay's eyes turn around to see Yzak. He quickly closes the door and turns his back to her to give her privacy.

"It's not like you haven't seen me naked before," Flay teases.

"It's doesn't matter," Yzak says. "It's unprofessional for me to gawk at you while you dress."

Flay opens her closet and grabs her green uniform. She pulls on the green skirt and and pulls the white overshift over her head. She grabs a pair of socks and pulls them over her feet before pulling on her green boots. Flay pulls on her green jacket and floats towards her mirror to fix her hair. She pulls half of her hair into a ponytail and combs the bottom half straight.

"You can turn around now," Flay says. "Actually, I don't care if you look at me naked."

" _Flay_ …" he scolds. "I'm an officer and you're an enlisted soldier. What we did was probably out of line to begin with. But now...we can both face serious consequences if we are caught."

Her heart stings at his words. "It's... _fine_. I should focus on my training."

Flay has decided that she's going to try her best today. She hates Rau Le Creuset, but she's not going to let him win. She'll do the best she possibly can to survive. Somehow, she's going to find a way out of here. Flay follows Yzak outside of her room. She tries to find every bit of courage she has left in her and channel all of it. She's lost her home in Heliopolis, because of Rau Le Creuset's orders. She's been manipulated and used by Rau and Ezalia, but if she refuses to even try today, she'll die when they reach Earth.

They float inside a hangar. Flay looks to four large machines lined next to her, and then three similar smaller machines next to them. The smaller machines must be what she will be piloting. Flay follows Yzak to a small machine. It looks like a video game machine from an arcade. Yzak presses a red button to turn the thing on.

"Generally this is used for the weaker pilots to train after they finish their schooling," Yzak says. "Rau Le Creuset had someone reprogram it for you to use."

Flay sits in front of the screen. There are two joysticks attached to the front. Flay places both her hands around them.

"There are pedals underneath to control the feet. We'll likely meet the Archangel above water first," Yzak says. "You'll have to learn to fly it before we get to Earth."

"Yzak…" she says.

"I'm an officer," he corrects. "Refer to me by my rank or _sir_."

"What is your rank…?" Flay asks. "Um... _sir_?"

"I'm an ensign," Yzak says. "You're an E1. So, you will be referred to as a private. Le Creuset's rank is obviously a Commander. Ades is a Captain. Doctor Frazier's rank is actually a Lieutenant, but we refer to him by Doctor most of the time. Dearka, Nicol, and Athrun are all Ensigns."

"Uh...thank you, sir," Flay says.

"Try not to sound so nervous when you speak," Yzak says. "I'll teach you how to salute later. Right now, focus on learning to steer the Ginn in flight mode. Once you can steer it, I'll show you how to use the rifle."

Yzak leans over her and presses a green button that reads " _start_ ". There is a five second countdown. A blue skyline meets an ocean as the backdrop. There is one jet coming towards her. The jet fires towards her. Flay tries to shift the joystick, but the blast connects with the machine. The simulator shakes to imitate how it might feel if she takes damage on the battlefield. Flay tries to dodge another blast coming towards her. She manages to barely dodge it. The jet continues to fire on her and maneuver around her with grace. The screen explodes with "game over" written in red letters. A recorded time of ten seconds appears in white letters in the corner. Flay snorts at the machine. She feels like she's playing one of Sai's video games.

"I can't believe a stupid machine just made me its bitch!" Flay crosses her arms and leans back in the seat with a huff.

"I set it on high difficulty on purpose," Yzak says. "Our Commander has named the Archangel's primary Skygrasper Pilot as Mu La Flaga. The other is an unidentified guerilla fighter they picked up in Africa."

"You said Mu La Flaga is pretty good, sir?" Flay asks.

"He's one of the best," Yzak says. "Which is why I set the difficulty so high. Mu La Flaga won't go easy on you, Flay. I guarantee you won't be able to shoot him down. Your best coarse of action is to take defensive action and try to stay alive."

"Sir, Athrun knows the Strike pilot, doesn't he?" Flay asks. "Do you know his name?"

"He's told our Commander," Yzak says. "I haven't been given his name personally though."

Flay looks to Yzak. She almost wants to tell him Kira's name to buy her more points with him, but decides against it. It really serves no purpose other than making it harder for herself. The deeper she gets into the ZAFT, the harder it will be to escape Rau Le Creuset.

Flay breathes and presses the green button to restart the simulation. The screen starts its countdown and the same god awful pre-rendered background appears on the screen. This time she moving constantly rather than trying to move whenever the jet fires at her. She continues to evade the best she can. The jet continues to fire until it finally destroys the Ginn. This time her score reads thirty seconds.

"Start again," Yzak says.

"Yes, sir," she says.

Her eyes meet with Yzak's. Their gaze holds for longer than it should. Flay turns her attention back to the screen and presses the green start button. The simulation starts, and all she can think is to _survive_. She'll stay passed her schedule shift and live on coffee if she has too. She _has_ to learn this. She's tried to be the temptress and the manipulator. It's gotten her nowhere. No one can protect her in this world, but herself. The only thing she can do now is _fight_.

The clock finishes its countdown, and Flay immediately maneuvers the faux Ginn. She swerves away from the mock Skygrasper. It fires several shots. Flay keeps the Ginn moving so that each shot misses. The Skygrasper dives downwards and fires upward at her. The first shot hits and the machine shakes. Flay bites her lip and refocuses. The Skygrasper continues to maneuver around her until finally it takes down her Ginn. The time reads one minute and ten seconds. Flay lets out a deep breath as she leans back in the seat. She can at the very least be happy that she's improved with each simulation.

Nicol is floating towards both of them with two coffee thermoses. "I thought you two could use a pick me up."

Flay takes her coffee thermos in hand. "Thank you, sir."

Nicol lets out a soft laugh. "She's already learning the ropes. How is the training come along?"

Yzak takes his coffee thermos from Nicol. "She's doing better than I had thought."

"Thank you, sir," Flay says before taking a sip from her coffee.

"I'm glad you're doing so well, Flay," Nicol says. "I'm still a little bit uncomfortable worried about all of this, but I'm sure the Commander has a good reason for it."

Le Creuset doesn't have a _good_ reason for it. She messed up some of his plans. Flay wonders what he possibly had could have used her for. She sips her coffee. It had something to do with her father. That much she knows. The rest is a complete mystery to her. Flay leans back into her seat. She supposes she'll never know.

Yzak is leaning over the machine. He types in a code into a keyboard to the side.

"I added another Skygrasper into the simulation," Yzak says. "I can't add the Strike, but I'll try to put in high level Ginn later. It's the best I can do."

"Do you mind if I watch?" Nicol looks to Yzak.

"I don't care," Yzak says. "Do what you want."

Flay places her coffee into a cup holster. She presses the start button and grips her joysticks. The countdown finishes and she immediately starts moving the faux Ginn. The Skygraspers seem to be coming at her from both sides. She moves upwards rather than left to right. She dodges several blasts before both Skygraspers surround her. Another Ginn comes on screen to aid her against one of the Skygraspers. The Ginn is firing upon the Skygraspers. Flay pulls back and finds cover behind the Ginn and waits for it to take down both Skygraspers.

The screen reads " _You Win"_ in bold Green Letters. The time reads two minutes and forty seconds.

"Nice job!" Nicol exclaims.

"That's actually...pretty good," Yzak says in astonishment.

"Thank you, sir," she says.

Flay grins to herself as she looks to the screen. She's actually making this work. It feels like a big _fuck you_ to Le Creuset. Flay hits the start button without a thought and begins the next simulation. Failure no longer means a bad grade on a test. Failure now means death. That thought alone would be enough to motivate anyone. She can do this.

 _She must do this._


	14. Gibraltar

_**AN:**_ We've seen Flay dabble in emotional manipulation. In this chapter, I've sort of subverted the trope at the end. The characters are started to come to life in a whole new way than I originally expected. It's really fun! Again, I love hearing from all of you! I'm glad people are enjoying this as much as I am enjoying writing this story!

Also, I don't hate Athrun. I'm just trying to convey how Yzak feels about Athrun. I actually do like Athrun quite a bit as a character and ship him with Cagalli.

 **Behind Enemy Lines**

 _Gibraltar_

The descent to Gibraltar is only an hour away. Yzak envisions the Strike's destruction in his mind over and over again. He zips up his pilot suit and looks to his scar in the mirror. He won't remove it - not until he sees the Strike obliterated. Yzak grabs his helmet and exits the locker room.

He supposes he'll go fetch Flay. She'll need instructions on how to handle entering the Earth's atmosphere. He goes to her room and keys in the access code. The door slides open. He switches on the lights, but Flay is nowhere to be found. Yzak floats through the hall and towards the hangar. His eyes widen when he Flay in her green pilot suit hunched over on the simulator. Her head is lying in her hands as she sleeps while her helmet floats off to the side.

Yzak floats towards her. He places his hands on her shoulder and gives her a soft shake. Her blue eyes flicker open and look up to him.

"Yzak…" she says. "I mean...sir."

She rubs her eyes as she sits up. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It doesn't matter," he says. "We need to prepare for our descent to Earth."

Flay's eyes shift downwards. She looks as if she's already been defeated. It's clear that she has so many doubts about this. She's obviously trying the best she can, but Yzak doesn't think her best will be enough. It's sad really. The chances of her living are so slim. He'll do what he can for her, but there's only so much one person can do.

Flay grabs her helmet and floats out of the simulator. She follows him out of the hangar till they reach a door just outside the hangar. Yzak stops at the door and enters an access code. Nicol, Athrun, Dearka, and Le Creuset already in the small alcove between the Vesalius and their drop pod. Le Creuset walks towards them. He stops in front of Flay and places his hand on her shoulder. Flay's eyes dilate, and she visibly flinches at his contact.

"It's good to see you, Private Allster," he says. "I hope that your training went well."

"It's good to see you, Commander," her voice is thin and wispy when she speaks.

His hand lingers on her a tad longer than it should. Yzak looks to Flay. Her eyes are to the floor. She's gone from being nervous to being absolutely terrified.

Le Creuset moves away from Flay and keys in the access code to the drop pod attached to their ship. Yzak floats through the doors as Flay follows closely behind him. He turns back to Flay. He takes her wrist in his hand and guides her into the Ginn. He sets her in the cockpit and straps the seat belt around her. Yzak switches the power on. The screen loads up.

"When I leave presses this button to close the hatch," he gestures to a green button on the main screen.

"Sir…" she says.

"Yes?"

"I'm..." she says. "I'm scared."

Yzak signs with frustration. "If we don't make it through the Earth's atmosphere, there's nothing you or I can do about it. Just don't think about it, okay?"

"Yes, sir," she says.

Yzak floats away from the Ginn. She's still so _needy_. He feels guilty that it frustrates him. His mother had always taught him to be strong. Flay's father, on the other hand, probably coddled her since the day she was born. He floats towards Duel and enters the cockpit. He fastens his seatbelt and switches the power supply on. Once the main screen loads, he closes the hatch to the cockpit. He places his helmet over his head and fastens it to his suit.

The ride is smooth at first. He feels so anxious in the small cockpit. It's mind numbingly boring. Yzak flips on the screen and hails Dearka through a private channel. Dearka's face appears on the screen.

"Yo!" he says. "You ready for this?"

Yzak grins to himself. "Let's just hope Athrun doesn't wet himself on the way down."

Dearka snorts. "I'm surprised they allowed him to pursue the Strike after you reported that the pilot used to be a personal friend of his."

"It pays to have you father in a high place," Yzak jests.

"Hey," Dearka grins to him. "So, are you and Flay still…you know?"

"We can't," Yzak says. "Now that she's enlisted it would be fraternization to continue what we were doing."

"That sucks," Dearka says.

"It doesn't matter," Yzak says.

"I don't know," Dearka says. "I'd be pissed if I lost access to easy ass."

"Is that all you think about?" Yzak says.

"Pretty much," Dearka says.

The pod starts to shake and the comm channel's signal drops. Dearka's face turns to static as the pod continues to rock. They must be entering the Earth's atmosphere right now. Yzak envisions impaling the Strike with his beam saber to calm his nerves. He _must_ destroy the Strike. Athrun is too soft. It's only a matter of time before he gets them all killed.

The shaking stops. The pod falls downward. Yzak's stomach slips at the shift change in speed. He draws in a deep breath and releases it into the air. They've made it through the atmosphere. It's clear sailing from this point on. The pod begins to slow till finally it comes to a complete stop. Yzak presses the button to open the hatch and switches the power off on the duel. He walks off of the hatch and onto the ramp.

Flay runs towards him and stops abruptly. She's looking to him through her helmet with tears in her eyes. The ride down must have scared her to death. If a drop through the atmosphere has visibly shaken her, Yzak can only imagine how torn up she'll be if she survives her first mobile suit battle.

Dearka walks towards them. He claps Flay on the back. "Looks, like you made it!"

" _Uh._.. _yeah_ …" she's breathless when she speaks.

Dearka laughs as he looks to Yzak. "She's completely traumatized."

"I am _not_!" Flay snaps, but quickly corrects herself. "I mean, I'm fine, sir."

Dearka throws his hands up. " _Hey_ , I was only joking!"

Nicol is walking towards them with Athrun. Yzak scoffs to Athrun and turns away from him.

"Flay, follow me," Yzak orders.

"Yes, sir," she says.

Yzak grips the ends of the ladder. He places the insides of his feet against the outside ends of the ladder and slides down effortlessly. He pulls his helmet off and breathes in fresh air. Yzak looks to the ladder to see Flay taking her time climbing down each rung. Once she reaches the ground, she pulls off her helmet and shakes out her hair.

"How did you do that?" she asks.

"It's something I picked up in boot camp," Yzak says with a smug grin.

Dearka has already slide down the ladder the same way he had, but Athrun is taking his time with each rung. Yzak grins up at him.

"Hey Athrun!" Yzak shouts. "Watching you climb down that ladder is like watching a sloth take a shit!"

Dearka bursts out laughing and Flay even giggles. Of course, she'd be on his side against Athrun. It's clear she's still smitten with him, and he imagines she doesn't care much for Patrick Zala either. Actually, Patrick Zala bothers Yzak too. He wonders why his mother looks up to him. There's also these uncomfortable rumors about them that Yzak wishes he never heard. Also, the fact that she didn't seem to do much when he reported Athrun's incompetence to her.

Yzak motions for Flay to follow him. She looks to him with doe like eyes. He doesn't get this girl. When she's not being needy, she looks to him like a hopeless schoolgirl. It's oddly flattering. Yzak stops in front of a door and turns back to Flay.

"You can change into your standard uniform in her," he says. "When you're done, find me. Commander Le Creuset is going to brief us with new orders."

Her eyes lower the minute he says Le Creuset's name. There's this sort of sadness in her eyes all of a sudden.

"Yes, sir…" her voice quivers as she turns away from him.

 _Something happened_. Yzak isn't sure what transpired between them, but she's so visibly scared of Le Creuset. It really shouldn't bother him. It's not exactly his business. Yet, it does.

Yzak walks towards the men's locker room and enters. Athrun is already changed out in his ZAFT uniform. They make eye contact. Athrun's eyes quickly shift away from his as he walks passed him. Yzak goes to his locker. He sets his helmet on the top shelf and unzips his pilot suit. He hangs it up inside. Yzak grabs the uniform coat, belt, and boots he stashed inside over night. He pulls on his jacket and buckles his belt around it. Finally, he pulls his boots over his feet. He leaves the locker room and finds Flay waiting for him.

"The commander should be waiting for us outside," Yzak says.

Flay follows him to a ramp that leads outside the pod. They exit the pod and meet with the rest of the group. Le Creuset is smiling down at Flay. She shifts behind him slightly as if she were hiding from their Commander. Le Crueset has to be in his late twenties at the very least. Yet, he's constantly leering at her. The creep factor of it makes Yzak uncomfortable.

"Follow me," Le Creuset orders.

The group follows Le Creuset inside a building. They walk through a beige hallway and into a small meeting room. Yzak holds the door open for Flay and closes it behind her. Le Creuset clears his throat as he walks to the front of the room.

"Commander Morassim seems to be having some trouble with the Archangel and the Strike," Le Creuset seems _so_ overly amused by this. "We've been called in as his backup. I'm having you all transported in separate planes at 0 Eight Hundred Hours. Except for you Yzak - you're responsible for watching over our new addition."

Flay looks up to him. She smiles for only a second. Her cheeks turn bright red. She lowers her gaze at an angle strategically faced away from Commander Le Creuset.

"Athrun…" Le Creuset's eyes shift towards Athrun.

"Yes, sir?"

"I am putting you in charge of my team in my absence," Le Creuset says.

Yzak's blood boils. His nails dig into his palms as he looks to Athrun. Yzak bites the inside of his cheeks to prevent himself from verbally lashing out at both Le Creuset and Athrun.

"I won't let you down, sir," Athrun says with pride.

"I don't expect that you will, Athrun," Le Creuset places his hand on Athrun's shoulder for a moment and says, "You are all dismissed."

"Yes, sir," they all say in unison.

Flay follows Yzak outside of the room. Once they are far enough away from everyone, Yzak slams his fist against the wall.

"God damnit!" Yzak hisses.

"Sir…?" Flay walks around him so that she is now facing him. "Are you...okay?"

"It's nothing, Flay," he says.

"Um…?"

"What?" he snaps.

He looks to her. Her eyes become glossy and dejected. He regrets snapping at her. It's not her fault that Le Creuset was incompetent enough to put Athrun in charge.

"I'm sorry, Flay," he says. "Did you have a question?"

"Uh...I just wanted to know what 0 Eight Hundred Hours means," she says. "I'm confused."

"It's military time for 8 AM," he says.

"Oh…" she says. "Uh...thank you."

Yzak hadn't intended to ask Flay about Le Creuset, but now he's looking for any excuse to report him to Le Creuset's commanding officer. There seems to be a stray tear falling down her face. Did he make her cry by snapping at her? Yzak doesn't really want to encourage her crush on him, but perhaps he can exploit how she feels about him to get some dirt on his Commander.

Yzak brushes away her tear. He does his best to give her a soft smile. She gasps and her cheeks turn bright red as she looks up to him.

"Flay…?" he says. "Has Commander Le Creuset acted inappropriately towards you?"

She's quiet as she looks away from him. Her eyes look back towards him. "He's usually just really quiet."

"Flay, you know that you can trust me, right?" Yzak voice becomes uncharacteristically gentle and soothing. "There are rules and regulations in place in case an officer steps out of line. If he did something to you, tell me."

She gives a disheartened nod. "If he does, I will. But, really...I'm fine, sir. He doesn't really talk to me much."

It's such an obvious lie. Le Creuset has some sort of leverage over her if she's this afraid to tell him anything. He could promise her the world, and she'll still never tell him what Le Creuset's done to her. Perhaps, he'll get her to confess while they're separated from their Commander. Somehow, he'll figure out how exactly Flay came to be a ZAFT pilot. There's a story there, and when he finds out, he's going to end Le Creuset's military career.


	15. Interlude

_**AN:**_ _This chapter is short and sweet. The next few chapters are going to pick up. They are closing in on the Archangel so the next few chapters will be full of battle scenes. I'm going to change up how things go down during this arch of the actual canon though. I can't really say much, because I don't want to give too much away._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Interlude_

It's refreshing not to be under Le Creuset's watching eye. Since their departure from Gibraltar, Flay's tension has eased slightly. She sits up in her Ginn with the operation manual in hand. She thumbs through the pages and let's out a deep sigh. All of the information is so foreign to her. Flay never really considered a career in engineering or computer science. These were the kind of things that Kira, Tolle, and Sai were good at. She wishes she were born a man. Her father might have encouraged her to pursue a STEM degree program if she weren't a girl.

Flay shuts the manual. It's evident that Sai was meant to be her father's heir in her place. It's why he encouraged her to get married so young. Her father never wanted her to go into science or business. She was supposed to look pretty, get married, and have children. Flay's jaw clenches as her eyes narrow. She's so damn sick of being used by everyone around her. From her father, to Ezalia Joule, to Rau Le Creuset - Flay feels as if she's just a bargaining chip to be exploited.

Flay climbs out of the Ginn and steps onto the platform. She goes to the ladder climbs down each rung till her feet touch the floor. Flay looks to Blitz, Buster, and Duel. Athrun's delay seems to be taking a lot longer than expected. Flay doesn't care much. Her and Athrun barely say more than three words to each other at a time. She doesn't hate Athrun per say, but she really hates his father. Patrick Zala would have been contented with having her locked up as a war criminal. If not for Lacus' interference, she probably would be somewhere way worse than a ZAFT carrier at this moment.

Flay pulls her jacket sleeve up and looks at her watch. Her mind reads it as 6:45 in the evening, but Flay attempts to read it in military time. It takes her a split second to think _one eight four five hours._ It's frustrating trying to read time differently, but it's also something she'll have to get used to. She thinks back to when they first arrived in the morning. Can Athrun really be over twelve hours late?

Flay walks into the breakroom. Dearka is seated on the sofa. His eyes are glued to a magazine with a scantily clad woman covering the pages. Nicol is looking out of the window. His lips are pressed in a hardline, and his eyes are full of worry. Flay walks passed them towards the coffee table. She grabs a styrofoam cup and pours herself a cup of black coffee. She leans against the table and sips the bitter, hot liquid.

The door opens and Yzak steps inside. Nicol turns to him and asks, "Yzak! What's the latest on Athrun's whereabouts?"

A smug smile forms on Yzak's lips as he takes two steps towards Nicol. "Members of the Zala team! I wish to give you an update on this honorable team's first mission!"

Flay's eyes flicker towards Yzak as she holds her coffee cup in one hand.

"There can be no more important mission," Yzak announces with amusement. "We are to search for our leader!"

Dearka bursts into laughter. Nicol's eyes look disheartened as he shifts his gaze to the floor. Flay sips her coffee. She doesn't care either way. She likes his fiance well enough, but she's never had a full conversation with Athrun. Then, there's his father whom she loathes with every fiber of her being.

"I guess it can't be helped since his carrier was shot down," Yzak continues. "But, in the meantime headquarters is far too busy to help us. We'll have to look for Athrun on our own."

"Well shit," Dearka's voice is dripping with sarcasm. "Looks like, we're off to a great start."

"It's getting dark," Yzak says. "We'll begin our search tomorrow."

"You can't be serious," Nicol argues.

"He's in his Aegis," Dearka says. "It may have been shot down, but it's not as if he fell through the Earth's atmosphere."

"So, there you have it. We'll sleep overnight and start our search tomorrow," Yzak grins and exits the room.

Nicol looks out into the window. His eyes are wrought with worry. Flay tosses her half empty coffee cup into a waste basket. She walks through the lobby and exits the room. She sees Yzak walking down the hall. She pauses for a moment before she pursues him.

" _Flay, you know that you can trust me, right? There are rules and regulations in place in case an officer steps out of line. If he did something to you, tell me."_

Flay touches her cheek were his fingers had wiped her stray tear. If Athrun really is as incompetent as Yzak believes he is, Flay fears what might happen to her as a result of his poor leadership. Rau Le Creuset seems to favor Athrun. Is it because Le Creuset supports Patrick Zala? Flay stops her pursuit. There's nothing Yzak can really do. If Rau Le Creuset is close with Patrick Zala, Yzak cannot do a damn thing to stop him.

The walls of the carrier feel as if they are closing in on her. She runs in the opposite direction. She's not sure how many corners she's turned. All she can think of is to run _somewhere._ Flay reaches the end of the hall to see a sunset pouring in from an open door. She can smell the scent of the ocean air as she steps outside.

Seagulls caw as they circle the ship. The ocean breezes feels so refreshing as opposed to the stuffy carrier. Flay unfastens the clasps of her jacket. She pulls her jacket off folds it over her left arm. She walks to the end of the platform and gazes out into the ocean. The ocean air feels so cool against her skin. She draws in a deep breath and smiles for only a second.

This might be the last sunsets she sees. If Athrun returns tomorrow, they will set out to engage the Archangel in combat. It's tragic really. She hasn't even made it to her eighteenth birthday, and now she's probably going to die within the next few days. Flay leans against the railing. At least in death she can be with her mother - the one adult in her life that never tried to hurt her. _God_ , she never once in her life imagined that she'd see death as some sort of escape. War wasn't what she imagined it to be. She always pictured the Earth Alliance soldiers deploying to honorably fight against the cartoonishly evil Coordinators she once envisioned in her head.

God, she was so stupid. Kira is probably going to kill her. The most she knew of Kira in school was that he had some silly crush on her. Now, he's going to slice her Ginn as if it were merely a soda can. She tries not to think about what could happen, but it keeps flashing in her mind over and over.

"Flay…?"

Flay turns to see Nicol walking towards her. He leans against the railing next to her and gives her a half-hearted smile. Him and Athrun must be close if he's this torn up about his disappearance.

"Hi," she says. "Uh...sir."

"You don't have to be formal with me," Nicol says. "You can call me by name if you want."

"Oh…sure," Flay says uneasily.

"I should probably go searching for Athrun," he says. "Yzak says to wait, but...I can't."

Flay looks to him for a moment. She wishes she could give offer some sort of advice, but her life is such a mess that she cannot even begin to take on another person's problems on top of hers.

"When this is over, I hope all of you can see me in concert," he says.

"You mean...me?" she asks.

"Yeah," he says. "You're one of us now. Of course, you can come."

"Oh…" Flay says. "Are you a singer like Lacus Clyne?"

"No," Nicol shakes his head. "I play the piano."

Flay becomes quiet. She looks out into the ocean and tries to imagine herself seeing Nicol play live. She feels _hopeless_. Flay knows that she'll never see that day come. She'll die on the battlefield and be forgotten shortly after.

"I...hope I live long enough to see you play," there's a mixture of sadness and bitterness in her voice.

"You don't think you'll survive?" Nicol asks.

Flay shakes her head. "I tried my best, but I don't think I'll last long."

"You should be more confident in yourself," Nicol smiles to her. "How can you expect to survive if you've already accepted defeat? None of us really know if we're going to come back alive. I just try to have faith. Even if the odds are against me, I try to be positive anyways."

Flay looks out into the ocean. "I wish I could…"

"Keep your chin up Flay," Nicol smiles to her and pivots away from her. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Yeah…" she tries to force a smile.

"I should probably go looking for Athrun," he says. "Get some rest, Flay."

Nicol walks back towards the door, leaving Flay with just her thoughts. Flay looks out into the ocean. The sun has almost set now. She should probably go look through the manual one last time before going to bed.


	16. First Day Out

_**AN:**_ _There is another SEED Destiny nod in this chapter. I actually remember liking Talia Gladys, and I was sad that her backstory with Gilbert was sort forgotten about. Then, at the end, they tried to do something with it and just phoned something in for them. A lot of SEED Destiny felt phoned in though. So..._

 _Tolle is the current Skygrasper pilot in this chapter rather than Cagalli. So, that should clear up the aptitude of the Skygrasper's current pilot taking a nose dive in comparison to what was reported by Waltfeld in earlier chapters._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _First Day Out_

Sirens are blaring throughout the carrier. Flay sits in her Ginn as panic overwhelms her. This was always what would eventually happen. Once Athrun was found, she knew that they would be moving in on the Archangel. So, why is it that she's so petrified now?

" _All hands level one battlestations!"_

The hatch to her Ginn is already closed. Athrun had ordered her to launch last. It's almost comforting that she'll be the last one out to the battlefield. Maybe she'll get lucky. Maybe Yzak will destroy the Strike before she really has to do much. Then, there's the Archangel. Athrun has ordered her to use suppressive fire while Dearka flanks the Archangel. She feels embarrassed that she actually had to ask what her orders meant.

Sai is on the Archangel. Flay remembers the first time she kissed Sai. Any feelings for Sai have long since passed, but she still feels uncomfortable opening fire on him. He might be a shadow of his former self now, but all she can think of is that sweet boy that once loved her. She feels sick just thinking about firing upon someone that loved her so much.

This is so... _stupid_. She's an inexperienced pilot about to open fire on an Earth Alliance ship. Rau Le Creuset knows that her ex-fiance is on this ship, but is sending her out into battle despite this knowledge. On top of that, Rau Le Creuset is aware of Athrun's friendship with Kira, but allows him to fight against his friend. It doesn't make any sense. There are four high powered mobile suits on the Le Creuset team. The Archangel only has one at their disposal. _How the hell is Kira even alive?_ Le Creuset's leaderships puzzles her now that she's gotten a clearer picture. Has he been giving them faulty orders on purpose?

Yzak _must_ be their best pilot. He _should_ be their leader. If Yzak were leader, things would be different. It's because of his stupid father - that's why Athrun is their leader. She's starting to see why Yzak hates him so much.

The communication screen loads. Captain Gladys appears on screen in her white uniform. "Private Allster, you have yet to launch. Is there a malfunction in your Ginn?"

"I'm sorry, Captain," she says. "I'm still getting used to the controls."

"We're ready when you are, private," Captain Gladys says.

The comm screen shuts off. Flay presses her feet on the pedals to move the Ginn towards the launch port. She has no choice but to do this. She places the Ginn's feet on the launch pad. The comm screen fires up once more. This time a brunette girl in a green uniform is on the other side rather than Talia Gladys

"ZGMF-1017 GINN on Standby," the woman says. "Systems all green."

Every muscle inside of her tenses as she looks forward to see a small sliver of blue sky in front of her. _God_ , she's going to die! She won't even last a minute before Kira or Mu La Flaga turn this mobile suit to ash.

"Course clear," the woman says. "Private Allster, you are ready for take off."

She feels the launch pad propel her forward. _Shit_. Her stomach slips as the Ginn surges through the air. The Ginn is falling so fast. She's going to fall into the ocean. Flay pulls back on the joysticks before the Ginn even grazes the water. She sighs in relief. She looks out into the sky to see a Skygrasper coming towards her. It tries to fire upon her, but misses despite that she hasn't even moved.

 _Weren't both of the pilots supposed to be good?_ Flay pulls back on the Ginn as the Skygrasper comes towards her. She was told not to open fire, but…

She aims her rifle and manages to even hit the Skygrasper. The pilot wobbles slightly he loses control of the Skygrasper. It seems to spiral downward and nearly falls into the ocean. That's... _odd_. Yzak had told her that the Skygrapser's second pilot was supposed to be good. Either Waltfeld's team miscalculated or the Archangel changed crew.

"Nice shot, Flay!" Dearka says through the intercom.

She remembers her orders. She moves towards the Buster which is attached to a hovering sled. It seems as if the Ginn is the only mobile suits equipped with a flight mode. Perhaps the other four suits are too heavy to fly themselves in Earth's gravity. Flay fires several shots from her rifle towards the Archangel while the Buster launches its beam rifle. She can hear Athrun and Yzak arguing over the group comm. She tries to zone the group comm out so that she can focus.

Metal seems to peal off the back end of the Archangel and fall into the water. _Kira, Sai_...are they the only people she knows on that ship? Flay tries to block out Tolle, Miriallia, and even their friend Kuzzey she hardly knew. She sees the Strike and the Duel in combat. She shifts backwards and tries to stay out of the Strike's range. That was what Yzak asked of her, wasn't it?

Flay bites her lip. The Skygrasper is on her tail again. She shifts right and dodges it's oncoming blasts. Who is piloting this thing, anyways? A crack addicted hamster? She might not be the best pilot, but this guy _really_ sucks.

Someone is hailing her. _The Archangel? The Strike?_ Flay answers the hail.

"This is a warning to the Earth Alliance Ship and ZAFT ship forces currently approaching! You are currently approaching Orb territory. Alter your course at once. As a neutral nation we strictly prohibit trespassing into our territory with any armed ship, aircraft, or mobile suit. Alter your course at once... _I repeat_...alter your course at once! This is your final warning. Should you fail to change your course in accordance to this warning, we exercise the right to defend our nation and open fire against you!"

 _Orb_? Is she really this close to home? She looks on her main screen to see several armed aircraft carriers in the open water. She could try to run to her home, but they would shoot her down without even bothering to hear her out. She's in a ZAFT mobile suit. She is no longer a civilian. She had signed the paperwork voluntarily, hadn't she?

The Archangel continues to coast towards the Orb fleet in spite of their warning. The Buster fires several shots to the Archangel as it continues to proceed to Orb. The Strike aims its rifle at the Buster and fires. The Buster manages to dodge, but its sled is destroyed in the process. Flay panics and pulls left to escape the Strike's firing range. _Do not engage the Strike_ , she tells herself over and over again.

The Buster continues to fire shoots down at the Archangel. The first Skygrasper is engaged with the Blitz. The Blitz seems to disappear into thin air. It reappears away from the Skygrasper and closer to the Archangel. It opens fire on the Archangel and the ship begins to fall into the ocean. They're really going to sink the Archangel. Flay looks to the Archangel on the main screen. Her stomach seems to do a backflip. _Dear god._ She's about to watch several people die.

The Archangel descends into the ocean towards the Orb fleet. All four of ZAFT's Mobile Suits pursue the Archangel. Flay's comm screen lights up again. Captain Gladys is on the other side of the comm channel.

"All ZAFT forces retreat at once!" she orders. "If we pursue the Archangel into Orb territory, we will violate international law and risk drawing Orb into the war against us. If Orb aligns itself with the Earth Alliance, we risk losing this war! Retreat at once!"

So... _it's over_? Flay looks to the smoke coming from the back of the Archangel. Both Skygraspers are flying towards Orb's waters. Yet, Orb isn't opening fire. How exactly did the Archangel broker a treaty with them to allow them into their territory?

 _It doesn't matter_. All that matters is that she's still alive. Flay retreats back to the carrier. She focuses as she lands the Ginn inside the dock. Her landing is rocky, but she manages to make it inside the carrier. She moves the Ginn towards its dock and breathes deeply. Her entire body is numb, and she feels as if she's hyperventilating. She pulls off her helmet and unbuckles her seatbelt. Flay draws her knees to herself and pulls them close to her.

She feels her face for a moment. _She really is still alive_. She's barely moved in her cramped cockpit, but she feels as if she's just ran a marathon. She leans back and lets out laugh. Left over adrenaline is surging through her like an electric current. _She really is still alive._

Flay opens her hatch. She steps out onto the walkway. The other pilots must have already left. Flay climbs down the ladder. She walks out of the hangar and through the hall towards the locker room. She enters her locker room and goes to her locker. She opens the unzips her green flight suit and peels it off of her. She remembers that she left her helmet in her Ginn, but shrugs it off. She's too tired to go back and get it. Flay hangs her suit up and dresses herself in her uniform. She hears a knock at the door. Flay raises an eyebrow and opens the door to see Dearka.

"Did...you need anything, sir?" she asks.

"Yzak's all pissed off. I figured he'd need some liquid medicine," Dearka says. "I stashed some booze in my room. You want to come drink with us."

"Um…" Flay feels nervous. "I've never drank before."

"You're serious?" Dearka says in astonishment.

"I never really thought about it actually," Flay feet shift nervously.

"Come on!" Dearka encourages. "It'll be fun."

Flay follows Dearka out into the hall. _Maybe she needs a drink_. She just survived her first physical mobile suit battle. A few months ago, she would have never imagined fighting out in the front lines and for ZAFT nonetheless. Sometimes she wonders if any of this is real or if it's just some horrible nightmare she can't wake up from.

Dearka keys in the access code to his room. He closes the door behind them. He goes to the comm screen next to his door and keys in a number.

"Hey Yzak!" he says.

"What do you want?" Yzak snaps.

"Meet me in my room," Dearka says.

"Why?" Yzak asks.

"It's important," Dearka says.

"Fine!" Yzak groans. "I'll be there in a minute!"

The comm channel shuts off and Dearka whistles. "Damn, he's in a mood!"

Flay remains silent as Dearka retrieves a bottle of brown liquor from his dresser. He grabs three styrofoam cups. Dearka twists the lid off of the bottle and pours the liquor into each cup. The door opens and Yzak walks inside. He eyes Flay first, then Dearka, and finally his eyes land on the alcohol bottle. Yzak closes the door behind him and crosses his arms.

"Dearka, you said this was important!"

"Jeez, calm down," Dearka says.

"I am calm!" Yzak shouts.

Flay can't help but giggle at him. He looks at her for a moment. "You think this is funny?"

Both her and Dearka erupt into laughter. Yzak faces flushes a soft red color. He looks like he's about to lose it. Dearka walks towards him with two styrofoam cups in hand. He hands one to Yzak.

"So, guess what?" Dearka says. "Apparently _Private Flay_ hasn't drank before."

Yzak looks to her. "That doesn't surprise me."

Flay's eyes flicker up to his. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you just seem really naive," Yzak says to her.

"I am not!" Flay becomes defensive. She walks towards Dearka and swipes the styrofoam cup from his hands. She downs the liquid in one gulp. The liquor burns the back of her throat and she feels as if she's going to choke. Flay dissolves into a fit of cough, and both Dearka and Yzak burst out laughing at her.

"What is this stuff?" she says between coughs.

"Whiskey," Dearka says as he pats her back. "It's cool if you can't handle it. It's strong stuff."

Flay turns her nose at Dearka. "I can handle your stupid drink just fine!"

Dearka and Yzak look at each other and laugh. She can't seem to figure out what they find so funny. Yzak looks to her and grins.

"That's no way to talk to an officer, Flay," Yzak playfully scolds.

Dearka takes Flay's cup from her and refills it. He brings it back to her and offers it to her. Flay takes the cup in hand.

"What about Nicol and Athrun?" she asks.

"Nicol doesn't drink," Dearka says.

"And, Athrun would probably tell on us," Yzak says.

"Oh, he so fucking would!" Dearka agrees.

Flay giggles. "You guys really don't like Athrun, huh?"

"I wouldn't hate him so much if he _actually_ did his job," Dearka says. "But, sometimes I think he's trying to protect the Strike."

"Because of his friend?" Flay asks.

"Yes, because of his fucking _friend_!" Yzak growls. "The Strike killed Miguel, and Athrun doesn't seem to give two shits!"

Flay tries to remember if she ever saw Athrun before Heliopolis was destroyed. She remembers Tolle and Kuzzey, but she doesn't remember seeing Athrun. They must have met way before Kira moved to Heliopolis, because her mind keeps drawing a blank. Come to think of it, there weren't very many Coordinators native to Orb. Most of them were refugees from less accepting countries once Blue Cosmos gain more influence in Earth's nations. She remembers her father watching the news when Uzumi Nara Attha gave his official statement to help refugees.

" _You've got to be shitting me! Why should we take care of them! They can go to the damn PLANTs! My tax dollars shouldn't go to taking care of a bunch of Coordinators!"_

Her father really did hate Coordinators, and to an extent, she agreed with him. Her eyes fall to the floor. She feels so _guilty_.

"Hey…" Dearka says. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Flay forces a smile.

Dearka raises his styrofoam cup. "To Flay! You made that Skygrasper your bitch on your first mission out!"

Yzak and Dearka press their styrofoam cups to hers and say, "Cheers!"

"Uh...cheers," Flay says.

Flay swallows the bitter liquid. A haze seems to be coming over her, and all of a sudden, everything just seems so much more _simple_. Alcohol...is actually better than she imagined it would be.


	17. Fading Light

_**AN:**_ _I've been updating pretty fast. I really needed to get this chapter out, because I've had it planned since the very beginning. I'm sure most of you can guess where the next chapter is going, and the events that transpire are going to change up some things. I really worked hard at the end for all the shippers reading this. Please, please, please tell me what you think! I'd love the hear from all of you!_

 _As a side note, Flay is listed as being from the Atlantic Federation, but also mentions her home is in Orb. I think it's a continuity error in the show that slipped passed the writer's room. I managed to make it work both ways in this chapter._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Fading Light_

The past two days have been confusing. There was Athrun's attempt at visiting Orb that went nowhere along with his certainty that Archangel hadn't already left Orb. How can he be so certain? The only person that Athrun had really spoken to on Orb's base was that one guy that had lost his electronic bird. Speaking of which, that whole scene seemed so damn bizarre. Why even bother returning the bird? It's not as if it was a matter of great important.

Yzak walks through the hall, shoulders back and muscles strained. They are wasting their time. They need to return to the Carpentaria Base and ask Commander Le Creuset for new orders. Yet, Athrun refuses. He continues to insist that the Strike is still within Orb's borders. There isn't even a shred of evidence to back up his claim. Talia Gladys and her crew are burning through resources sitting out in front of Orb.

Yzak steps outside on the outside deck. He should go to Talia Gladys. Athrun's poor leadership is eventually going to get one of them killed. Miguel and Rusty flash into his mind. If anyone is to die, Flay will be the first. For one, she's a Natural. She's already at a genetic disadvantage. Secondly, she lacks the experience that might keep someone like Mu La Flaga alive. She wasn't _terrible_ her first time out on the battlefield, but she is definitely lacking in practice and skill. One small mistake, and her Ginn will be up in smoke.

Yzak sits at the end of the deck and looks out into the ocean. That girl is going to die on him soon. It gets harder accept the closer he gets to her. He should have never slept with her in the first place. This is why they were instructed not to cultivate relationships in the military. It becomes _complicated_.

"Hi…"

Yzak looks over his shoulder. Flay is standing on deck in just a plain white tank top and her green skirt. _Speak of the devil_. She sits down next to him. They sit in silence. It's peaceful almost to just sit in silence with someone else.

"The Archangel must be gone," Flay finally says.

"I think so too," Yzak agrees. "They probably went North towards Alaska."

"It must have been nice to go to Orb," Flay says. "My mom was from Orb. My dad got dual citizenship when he married her. I spent most of my time growing up there. It was so nice…"

Yzak looks to her. "That's why Athrun asked you to stay? Because, he thought you'd run?"

"I don't think Athrun knew at first," Flay says. "Commander Le Creuset probably informed him before we left Gibraltar. I imagine that's why he asked me to stay though."

She probably would have took off. It's clear she doesn't really want to be here. She might have convinced herself that this is what she wanted to do at the time she signed her paperwork, but he can see that she regrets her choice. She probably regretted the moment she discovered she'd go into combat.

"I don't know what I'm going to do after this is over," Flay says. "My mom passed away awhile ago. Maybe it's better that way. She probably would have divorced once she found out what he's spending his money on."

"You'll have job experience through your military service," Yzak says. "You can find a job in Orb, or you could just stay in the military."

"It's going to be different," Flay's voice is oddly quiet. "I've never actually took care of myself before all this. I'll have to pay for everything out of my own pocket. My dad and I probably won't talk ever again. Sai and I aren't getting back together anytime soon. I might have been the one to kill him two days ago. Probably not, but maybe I could have…"

 _That got dark_. He's seen Flay cry a lot, but she's never seemed so completely hopeless.

"I'm scared sometimes," she says. " _Actually_ , I'm scared all of the time. No one seems to have much faith in Athrun, and I'm scared I'm going to die under his command. I don't exactly have much to live for, but I'm still so scared to die. I don't get it. It shouldn't really matter anymore…"

She probably wants him to tell her it will be okay. If her were Dearka, he'd could probably smooth talk her into believing she'd be fine. It would make her feel better, but it wouldn't be the truth. Yzak knows that she's probably not going to be _fine_. This war doesn't show signs of ending soon, and it can only get worse from here.

Flay checks her watch. "Athrun asked us all to be on standby. I should probably go get changed. The Archangel is probably gone, but I guess I should be ready for anything…"

Flay climbs back to her feet. She walks away from him without another word. She's not enthusiastic about going back into battle. It's clear in her mannerisms since her first time out. Yzak climbs to his feet. The Strike is likely long gone, but he supposes he should get ready anyways. He'll laugh at Athrun later when Talia Gladys reports to their team that the Strike has been spotted North.

He steps back inside the carrier and makes his way to the locker room. Nicol is zipping up his pilot suit. Nicol smiles to him. How can this one person be so optimistic? It's hard to be so positive when they continue to fail over and over again.

"Athrun seems so sure about the Strike," Nicol says. "I don't know. I have a feeling if the Archangel left that we'd hear about it by now."

Yzak walks towards his locker. He removes his coat, belt, and boots. He pulls on his pilot suit and grabs his helmet. Yzak fastens the helmet around his head and lets out a deep sigh.

"Do you think the Archangel is out there?" Nicol asks.

"No," Yzak responds bluntly.

" _Oh,_ " Nicol says. "Well, if it is, it's not as if it can run back to Orb twice. They were granted safety for some reason. I wonder why?"

"Orb built the Archangel and the Gundams for the Earth Alliance," Yzak says. "It's clear that they've chosen a side, Nicol. They pretend to be Neutral, but they aren't."

Yzak walks outside of the locker room with Nicol. They approach the hangar. Yzak climbs up the ladder as Nicol follows.

"Hey," Nicol says. "I'll see you when we get back."

"Yeah…" Yzak says. "I'll see you."

Yzak climbs into Duel. He closes the hatch behind him and fastens his seatbelt. He switches on Duel and awaits his orders. He can hear the ship's sirens sound. Yzak sits up straight. The comm screen flickers on again. Athrun Trine appears on the screen dressed in his black uniform. "Captain Gladys has identified the Archangel. The Strike and Skygraspers have already launched. The Archangel has been repaired to its full strength. Please be careful, Ensign Joule."

"Yes, sir," Yzak says.

The comm screen cuts out. Yzak moves Duel to the launch platform. This time he's going to destroy the Strike. He pictures the Strike severed into several pieces and smiles to himself. The comm screen flickers back on to show a brunette woman in a green uniform.

"GAT-X102 Duel Gundam on standby," the brunette says. "All systems green. Course clear. You're ready for take off, Ensign Joule."

Yzak sends the Duel forward and into the blue sky. He lands perfectly onto his sled and immediately aims his beam rifle at the Strike. The Strike sidesteps the blast. The blast connects with the Archangel instead. The Strike pilot is at a severe disadvantage grounded on the Archangel. If there was a perfect time to take the Strike down, it would be now.

The Strike leaps into the air and shoots at Buster. The beam connects with Buster's sled. The Buster falls and lands on a small piece of land.

"Dearka!" Yzak shouts.

"I'm all good," Dearka says. "I'm just a little grounded at the moment."

The Buster uses its engines to fly back towards the carrier for cover. It aims its guns and tries to fire upon the Strike. Flay seems to have retreated with Dearka. _Good_. She's safer by the carrier than she is out in front. Yzak floats on his sled with the Blitz by his side. He notices that the Aegis has been knocked from its sled. Athrun lands on the small piece of land. The second Skygrasper sends the Strike a large beam sword.

The Strike cuts through the Aegis' rifle. The Aegis backs up a few steps and draws both its beam sabers. The blades connect with the Strike's beam sword countless times. Yzak tries to fly down to aid Athrun, but both Skygraspers are on his tail.

"Shit!" Yzak hisses.

Several beams are coming towards him. The Buster and the Ginn are firing at the Skygraspers, giving Yzak an opening to lose them. He looks back down towards the Strike and Aegis. The Aegis' fades from red to grey. _Shit_. Athrun's right in the Strike's path with little to no battery life left. The Strike drives a punch into the Aegis, and Yzak watches it fall backwards. _Fuck_! He hates Athrun, but he doesn't want him to die.

He manages to lose the last Skygrasper and moves his sled forward. He watches the Blitz rush towards Athrun on its sled. The Blitz jumps from its sled and charges the Strike. He hears Nicol's voice come through the comm link. "Athrun! Stay back!"

Nicol drives his spear forward. The Strike backs away just enough to dodge the oncoming attack. The Strike drives its beam sword through Nicol's cockpit. Yzak can hear Nicol's screams through the comm link.

"Athrun….escape…" Nicol's voice is so broken when he speaks.

The Blitz drops from the comm channel. Yzak's eyes dilate as he watches the Blitz explode. He's never felt so much... _rage_. Something is coming over him. Yzak draws his beam saber from his backpack. He rushes forward on his sled. His blade connects with the Strike's beam sword. He pushes the Strike a step back with each swing of his beam saber. He can't seem to stop. All he can think is to destroy the Strike.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" he shouts. "You son of a bitch! _**I'm going to kill you!**_ "

The Archangel attacks him with suppressive fire. Yzak flies backwards. The Strike is retreating. _No_. His mainscreen sees the remains of the Blitz. The battery is dying, but all he can think of is to destroy the Strike. He sees it leap on top of the Archangel. The Strike is getting away... _again_.

" _Ensign Joule…_ " Captain Gladys is calling through the comm link. "Return at once. I repeat. Return at once!"

Yzak leaps back on his sled and returns to ship. He can hardly remember half of his fight with the Strike. He just remembers this rush of energy. The Duel docks, and he remains seated for a moment. Yzak pulls his helmet off as he pants heavy breaths. _What just happened?_ There was this energy that came over him. It felt like this _unstoppable_ force. _What is happening to him?_

Yzak opens the hatch to the Duel. He walks towards the ladder and slides down in one swift motion. He walks towards the locker room. Dearka is oddly quiet. Athrun is already changed and just staring off into nothing. Yzak starts kicking his locker. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

"Why did he have to die!" Yzak shouts and turns to Athrun. "Why?"

Athrun grabs him by his collar. He shoves him against a locker. They eye each other for a moment. Yzak shoves Athrun off of him. He clenches his jaw as he stares Athrun down.

"Say it, Yzak!" Athrun shouts. "Tell me it was my fault! Tell me that Nicol died because of me!"

Dearka looks to them. "Stop! None of this will bring Nicol back!"

" _No_ , it won't!" Yzak says. "Migue is dead! Nicol is dead! What about Flay, Athrun? She's so fragile. Are you going to let her die to!?"

"I don't want anyone to die, Yzak!" Athrun screams. "Can't you see that I'm trying!"

"You're not trying hard enough!" Yzak shouts.

Dearka grips Athrun's shoulder. "This needs to stop! Both of you need some time to cool off. We'll talk about this later, but right now, you both need to be separated."

Dearka guides Athrun out of the room. The door slams shut, and suddenly, the room becomes so chillingly quiet. Yzak's eyes fall on Nicol's locker. He shouldn't... _not yet_. Yzak steps towards the locker. He pulls the locker open. Sheet music slips from the locker and scatters on the floor. He can hear the soft sound of Nicol's piano in his head even now. _He's really gone_.

" _I'll see you when we get back."_

 _Fuck…_

Yzak looks to Nicol's jacket hanging from its coat hanger. He softly pulls the coat into his hands and falls to his knees.

" _Damn it…_ " he says. " _Why?_ Why did you give up your life for him? Why die for Athrun, Nicol? WHY!?"

Hot tears stream down his cheeks. He can't think of the last time he cried - probably when his father died. He remembers looking up to his mom. He didn't really understand the finality of death when he was five. He remembers sitting up in his bed when his mother told him his father's shuttle didn't make it through the Earth's atmosphere.

" _But mom, dad will come home soon, right? He's not really gone. Maybe he wasn't even on that shuttle. Maybe he escaped! I bet he did! He'll be home soon! I know it!"_

 _Fuck…_

Yzak clings to Nicol's jacket as if it were his last life line. He hadn't thought of his father in so long, but now the thought of his father's shuttle burning to ash plays in his mind over and over like a broken record. He tries to force that single thought from his mind, but it's replaced with the Blitz erupting before his eyes. Yzak draws Nicol's jacket closer to him.

 _Why?_

"Yzak…"

Yzak's eyes flicker up to see Flay. She's standing at the door with her fingers still lingering on the doorknob. She's never seen him like this - _so broken...so weak_. Her blue eyes are so blotchy and red. Was she crying too? Flay shuts the door behind her. She pauses for a moment before she steps toward him. She's trembling. Her hands shake as she reaches out to him. She jerks her hand back and wraps her arms around herself instead. Her knees buckle underneath her as she falls to her knees. She's sobbing as tears stain her cheeks. Even when she's a crying mess, she's always still so _beautiful_.

"Is this really what it's like?" her voice is so thin. "I've never seen anyone die, Yzak. I feel so numb…"

Yzak wishes he could just _say something_. He doesn't even know where to begin. Dearka has always better with women. Yzak doesn't know how to comfort her. Hell, he's falling apart himself. Nicol's jacket slips from his fingers. Is she the next person to die? Rusty, Miguel, Nicol...then Flay. _No_ , he doesn't want to lose her too. He's supposed to be the one the one looking after her.

Tears are still flowing down her cheeks. He extends his hand out and wipes them from her eyes. _That is what Dearka would do, right?_ Flay's azure eyes look up to his. She falls forward into his arms and sobs uncontrollably.

"I'm going to die," her voice is so soft...so fragile. "The Strike is going to kill me. _I don't want to die…_ "

Her head is resting in his chest. She's trembling in his arms. The Strike can take Athrun if he wants, but he's not going to take Flay and Dearka from him too. He tightens his grip around her and rests his head on top of her. Her hair is so _soft_.

"I'm going to destroy the Strike, Flay…" his voice is low - cold almost. "I am going to destroy the Strike and kill that turncoat Coordinator. I promise…"


	18. The Calm Before the Storm

_**AN:**_ _So, there are more Destiny references in this chapter in regards to Talia. I sort of shipped her and Gilbert Durandal when Destiny was first airing. So, there's some small hints to a relationship between them. I feel like Destiny was full of a lot of missed potential, and all of the new characters introduced were just fucked sideways once the Clyne Faction was reintroduced into the show. But, that is a rant for another day._

 _Also, this chapter and the next chapter are going to be from Yzak's perspective! Main because this chapter is short, and the next chapter really needs to be from his perspective since it's going to be a hardcore mobile suit battle. Again, all your reviews are appreciated! I love hearing from you guys!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _The Calm Before the Storm_

A buzzing sound disturbs Yzak from his sleep. His eyes snap open. He _remembers_. _Nicol._

 _Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!_

"Alright!" Yzak snaps. "I'm coming!"

He walks toward the comm screen at his door and answers. Arthur Trine appears on the other side dressed in a black ZAFT uniform. "Talia Gladys has asked to meet with you to discuss strategy. Be at her briefing room ASAP."

"I'm on my way, sir," Yzak replies.

The communication channel cuts out. Numbness seems to come over him as he tries to push images of Nicol from his mind. Yzak walks towards his closet. He promptly dresses in his red uniform, and closes his closet behind him. He goes to the door and stops.

" _Athrun...escape…"_

Tension crawls through his skin as he sees the Blitz exploding over and over again. Nicol died for Athrun of all people. _It isn't fair_. Nicol was so... _kind_. Yzak fights all of his anger and grief. He recomposes himself and exits his room.

He walks through the carrier until he reaches Captain Glady's briefing room. He enters the room and salutes to Captain Gladys who sits behind her desk with Arthur Trine by her side. Yzak takes a seat in between Dearka and Flay. Oddly, Athrun is absent from the meeting.

"I've been observing The Zala Team since you've been under my command," Talia Gladys says. "I was perplexed when I heard the Strike and Archangel evaded you for this long, but now I have a clearer picture. I'll be frank with all of you. Your team lacks communication and leadership. An officer under my command has just died, and I'm confused on how this came to be. You have four to one when it comes to the GAT-X models. We should be at a tactical advantage. Yet, the reports I have read show nothing but failure since Heliopolis. How is this even possible?"

The whole room is quiet. Yzak has his own answer - _Athrun Zala_. He _could_ speak up, but Athrun Zala stands where he does because of his father. If he were to speak against Athrun, it would almost be like speaking against Patrick Zala himself.

"Um...I mean, mam," Flay's voice is nervous as she rises from her chair. "I know I've just started serving, but there's something I noticed since my time on the Vesalius and serving with Commander Le Creuset."

Yzak looks to Flay. _What is she doing?_

"Athrun Zala…" Flay pauses. "I mean, Ensign Zala knows the Strike pilot. They used to be friends before the war. Commander Le Creuset knew this, but chose to ignore it and placed Ensign Zala in change of us. I know there's a better word for it, but I think he was chosen to lead us because his father is the Supreme Chairmen."

"Nepotism is the word you are looking for, Private Allster," Talia says. "Ensign Elsman...Ensign Joule, speak freely. Does Ensign Zala have a prior relationship with the Strike pilot?"

"Yes, mam," Dearka answers first. "We've known since we served under Commander Le Creuset."

Talia Gladys sighs deeply. "Athrun Zala's personal relationship with the Strike pilot is going to interfere with his better judgement on the battlefield. This conflict of interest might be the reason for The Le Creuset Team's consistent failure to destroy the Strike and the unfortunate loss of Ensign Nicol Amalfi. Ensign Joule, I am placing you in charge of Ensign Elsman and Private Allster. Even if it puts us at a disadvantage, I cannot put Athrun Zala back out on the battlefield. The Aegis and Athrun Zala will be transferred to aid our forces in Operation Spitbreak."

The phone attached to Talia Gladys' desk rings. She presses a button to answer the phone via speaker phone. "Captain Gladys, Foreign Minister Durandal is on the line in regards to the Orb incident."

"Oh, thank god," she breathes. "Let's hope he's cleared everything up."

Captain Gladys presses the hold button on the phone. "Remain on standby. For now, you are all dismissed."

All three rise and salute. "Yes, mam."

It feels _different_. Nicol is gone. Yet, his presences is still felt. Yzak chest tightens as he tries to fight all of the rage that stirs within him. He thinks of the overwhelming feeling that came over him upon Nicol's death. It was as if he went _berserk_. The bloodlust that he felt was something he'd never truly felt before.

Yzak's eyes fall onto Flay. She's walking toward the end of the hall. She turns right and disappears behind a corner. Flay is always confusing him. Just when he thinks he's got her figured out, Flay surprises him. Why was she so eager to confess to Talia Gladys? Yzak pursues her. He walks to the end of the hall and turns around the right corner. She's still walking with her back turned.

"Flay!" he calls out to her.

Flay stops and looks over her shoulder. She turns on her heel and walks back towards him.

"Yes, sir?"

"Why did you confess to Talia Gladys about Athrun?" he asks.

"I asked her last night...about transferring under her command, and she assured me that I can stay," Flay says. "I overheard some stuff about her in mess hall. I guess she has a lot of pull in ZAFT. It's _just_...I don't want to serve under Rau Le Creuset."

She knows something. _But, what?_

"Why are you so afraid of him, Flay?" Yzak asks bluntly.

"I just don't really trust his leadership," she answers timidly. "I just get this bad feeling from him. Captain Gladys seems more level headed. I would rather serve under her."

Flay smiles meekly. Her smile falters and she turns away from him. She's never going to tell him the truth, because Rau Le Creuset is holding something over her head. He watches Flay walk away from him with her head low. Whatever threat he used was clearly effective enough to silence her.

 _What is this girl hiding from him?_ Yzak walks to Flay till he is walking by her side. She looks to him and blushes. She averts her gaze back to the floor and smiles softly.

"When this is over," she says. "If I survive that is...it's going to suck not having you around."

"What do you mean?"

"Commander Le Creuset is going to reassign you, isn't he?" Flay says. "And, I guess I'll probably be reassigned to the Eternal."

Yzak raises his eyebrow. "That ship is just barely being finished."

" _Oh_?" Flay says. "I just overheard some things. No one really talks to me that much, because of my father. So, I listen a lot. I guess it was promised to Captain Gladys if she succeeds here."

"I'm not quite sure how she talked herself into being in charge of our newest capitol ship," Yzak says. "It's actually confusing. Her family isn't in politics like my mom or Athrun's dad, but she's constantly rising through the ranks like ZAFT is some damn cake walk for her. Either she knows someone or she really is just _that_ good."

"I guess we'll never know," Flay says.

They reach the end of the hallway. Flay stops and faces Yzak. There's this unspoken tension between them. He remembers the softness of her hair and holding her so close to him. At least when she transfers, his uncomfortable attraction to her will fade into a distant memory.

Flay salutes to him with a sweet smile. "I'll see you, Ensign."

Flay turns away from him and walks down the hall towards her room. He really is going to miss her, but he supposes it's for the best that she's transferred. Flay will be safer under Captain Gladys' command than she will be on The Le Creuset team - that and whatever has transpired between them will no longer distract him.

Yzak turns and walks the way he originally came. The Strike flashes in his mind. Now that he is in charge of this operation, he will no longer have to deal with Athrun's interference. The next time he engages the Strike he _will_ avenge Nicol. Even if it's the last thing he ever does, the Strike will fall at his hands.


	19. Clashing Blades

_**AN:**_ _Sorry about the delayed update everyone. I had to rewrite this several times, because things just didn't seem to work in my first couple of drafts. This chapter is going to mark a new turning point in the story. The next arc is going to be interesting how it plays out. I have two more arcs planned out. So, I guess I'm about halfway done. Anyways, tell me what you think!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Clashing Blades_

"The Archangel has been identified on our radar. There are islands surrounding the area. The sun will be rising soon. This is an ideal time to stage an attack," Captain Gladys says. "There is no room for mistakes. This is our last chance. The Atlantic Fleet has been located North of us. The Atlantic Fleet has another Archangel model as well as three new GAT-X mobile suits at their disposal. If we fail today, the Archangel will meet with the Atlantic Fleet. We do not have the resources to engage the Dominion and the Archangel with four GAT-X models. So, it is crucial that we succeed today."

Yzak stands straight with both his hands behind his back. A newfound confidences runs through him. Athrun can no longer protect the Strike. He no longer lacks the confidence he once felt under Commander Le Creuset's leadership. Flay might have the right idea to ask to transfer to the Eternal rather than returning to the Vesalius.

 _Nicol._ Yzak can still hear Nicol's last words in his head. " _Athrun...escape…"_

Yzak drops his hands to his side and looks to the diagram on the table. The Archangel is placed between a series of islands. This is his chance to shine as a leader. He steps towards the table. The thunder storm will be difficult to work in, but he's willing to make an attempt at the Strike. He places the Buster and three Ginns towards the Archangel. He sets the Strike head to head with Duel.

"I'll separate the Strike from the Archangel," Yzak says. "I want the Buster and Ginn units to focus their efforts on the Skygraspers and the Archangel."

Dearka looks to Yzak. "Sounds good to me."

The two blonde Ginn pilots look to him with blank faces. Both men look dumb as bricks. Yzak doubts that either of them will survive their first day out. He supposes it's better than Athrun being soft with the Strike. At least these two will stay out of his way.

"Private Allster, Ensign Joule...a word in private please," Captain Gladys says.

"Yes, mam," Yzak and Flay say in unison.

Flay joins Yzak by his side. She follows him and Captain Gladys outside of the hall. Captain Gladys presses a button to close the door behind them. She waits to be sure that the hallway is empty before she speaks.

Her eyes fall onto Flay. "ZAFT intelligence has informed me that George Allster and Muruta Azrael left with the Atlantic Fleet in Alaska."

Flay's eyes fall to the floor. "There's no way I could have known, mam. I'm sorry…"

"I am aware it isn't your fault," Captain Gladys says. "ZAFT intelligence has confirmed that you haven't had contact with him since Heliopolis. My source is under the impression that there is a snake in the grass. Perhaps a senior officer on our vessel or aboard the Vesalius informed him that you are serving under my command. Have any of you witnessed any unusual behavior from any officers onboard the Vesalius?"

Flay's eyes are to the floor. She shifts uneasily. "I wish I knew. I'm sorry…"

"It's fine," Captain Gladys reassures. "I have orders to return to Carpentaria whether our mission is a success or a disaster. Either way, we will avoid contact with the Atlantic Fleet. I wish you both the best of luck on the battlefield."

"Thank you, mam," Flay says.

Captain Gladys gives them an encouraging smile before she turns on her heel and walks in the opposite direction. Yzak looks to Flay. Her eyes are to the floor. She looks so completely hopeless. Flay turns in the opposite direction of Captain Gladys and walks off lifelessly.

Flay has gone through this _phase_ lately. It's as if war has sucked the life the out of her. Yzak feels as if he is responsible. He had tried to sway his mother's opinion of her which led to Flay pretty much disowning her own father on national television. She might have felt as if ZAFT was the only way to move forward at that point. Flay seemed so sure that joining ZAFT was what she wanted to do. The reality of war must have been too much for her. There truly isn't much glory in war...just so much death.

Yzak refocuses. He cannot burden himself with her mounting depression - not when the Strike pilot still lives. He _must_ destroy the Strike. If he fails today, there might not be another chance. If the Strike makes it to Alaska, Yzak won't get another chance to engage the Strike until Operation Spitbreak.

Yzak walks through the halls until he reaches the locker room. The new Ginn pilots exit the room dressed in their pilot suits.

"Who cares if I did?" the taller pilot's voice is casual. "Her mom was part of Blue Cosmos, anyways."

The shorter pilot laughs. "She wasn't _pure and blue_ after you were done with her."

"She cried like a bitch the whole time," the taller man says.

"Patrick Zala is going to get rid of all those damn Naturals," the shorter pilot says. "Just you wait! They'll be gone by the time this war is over."

They both laugh as they pass Yzak. Did he actually hear what he thought he heard? Maybe he interpreted it incorrectly. _No_. he heard what he heard. Has ZAFT reduced itself to actions so deplorable? He makes a mental note to report what he heard to Captain Gladys upon his return.

Yzak steps inside the locker room. Dearka is zipping up his pilot suit. He raises his eyes to Yzak and half smiles.

"Man, those new pilots are such douchebags," Dearka says. "I'd actually rather have Athrun back."

"Yeah well, they probably won't live to see the sunset tonight," Yzak says.

"You know, I miss the old crew," Dearka muses. "Rusty, Miguel, Nicol...they're all gone, and with Athrun's transfer, we're the last two of the original team."

Yzak looks to Dearka. "Don't die on me, Dearka."

"You don't die either," Dearka says. "I don't want to be stuck with those two douchebags. That and Flay will cry."

Yzak jerks Dearka's mention of Flay. "Flay cries about everything, Dearka."

"Yeah, she does, but I think it will be too hard on her, you know," Dearka claps his hand against Yzak's back. "I'll see you out there."

Dearka walks passed Yzak and exits the room. There's this grating, humming sound that fills the room. Yzak's eyes fall on Nicol's locker. He sees the Blitz rushing to the Strike. He sees the Strike cleave its beam sword straight through the Blitz' cockpit. Yzak heaves a heavy sigh as he walks towards Nicol's locker. He opens the locker.

 _It's empty._ He remembers the sheet music falling out and holding Nicol's jacket. Had someone really cleared out his locker already? Yzak shuts the door and takes a deep breath.

Yzak walks to his locker and opens it. He removes his belt and jacket. He hangs them on the right hanger across from his pilot suit. He pulls off both of his boots and sets them on the bottom of his locker. Yzak pulls his pilot suit over himself and grabs his helmet. He shuts his locker and tries to refocus.

Yzak exits the locker room. His eyes catch Flay walking a few paces ahead of him. Yzak walks towards Flay. She tilts her head to meet his gaze. There's a small smile on her face. She lowers her eyes to the floor and her smile fades.

Yzak notices that she isn't crying or shaking with terror. She isn't clinging to him. She's _calm._ Perhaps she's just gotten used to being in combat, or maybe she's getting better at hiding her fear.

" _All hands level one battle stations!"_

They enter the hangar. Yzak stops to look at her. "Be careful, Flay."

She smiles to him. "You too, sir."

Flay places her helmet over her head and attaches it to her pilot suit. Yzak sets the helmet on his head and latches it on. He rushes up the ladder. He runs on the platform and practically throws himself into Duel. He buckles his seatbelt and switches on the mobile suit. Yzak releases a deep breath as he tries to calm his nerves.

The Strike flashes in his mind. Yzak closes his eyes and exhales. He opens his eyes as he focuses. He won't let Strike escape today - _no matter what._ Yzak moves the Duel to the launch platform. The screen flashes on to show the brunette bridge officer. "GAT-X102 Duel Gundam on standby. All systems green. Course clear. You're ready for take off, Ensign Joule."

The Duel flies down the runway and into the air. Yzak shifts his Duel towards its sled and lands on top of it effortless. Lightning flashes in the sky as rain begins to pour. He squints as his eyes search for the Strike. He sees both Skygraspers soaring towards the Buster and the three Ginn units.

A Ginn fires at the first Skygrasper. It barrel rolls to dodge the blast. The Skygrasper returns fire landing each shot into Ginn. It erupts in mid air and its remaining pieces fall into the ocean. Was that Flay's Ginn? Panic rushes through him.

"Flay!"

"Yes, sir?"

Relief rushes through him. _Thank god_. It was just one of those dirtbag green shirts that died.

"Flay, stay near the Buster," Yzak orders. "Try to focus on the Archangel."

"Yes, sir."

The Strike fires a shot from the top of the Archangel. Yzak shifts his joysticks left and dodges the blast. Yzak tilts his joysticks forward and opens fire on the Strike. The Strike leaps into the air to dodge Yzak's blast. The Strike returns fire. Yzak shifts the Duel right and dodges the beam effortlessly.

The Strike lands on the beach of a nearby island. Yzak shifts the Duel forward in pursuit. He needs to drive the Strike further away from the Archangel. He takes several shots at the Strike. It blocks the blasts with its shield. Yzak's jaw tightens as lets out a frustrated growl.

The Strike crouches behind its shield and fires two shots. Yzak shifts his sled upward. He evades the first shot, but the second directly hits his sled. Yzak leaps from his sled. He opens fire on the Strike. It raises its shield overhead to block each shot.

Yzak aims for the Strike's beam rifle and fires. The beam rifle shatters in half. The Strike raises its shield to block Yzak's beam rifle. A beeping sound resonates on his computer screen. _Shit._ He's out of ammo.

The second Skygrasper comes into view. It opens fire. Each shot misses despite Yzak not making an attempt to evade.

"Yzak!" he hears Flay call to him through the group channel.

He sees her Ginn come into view. It fires a direct hit to the Skygrasper. Yzak watches as the Skygrasper spins into the air and falls to the ground. An explosion erupts and the Skygrasper goes up in flames.

"Are you okay?" Flay asks.

"I'm fine," Yzak says. "Flay, get the hell out of here! That's an order!"

The Strike draws its beam saber. It rushes towards the Ginn and slices one of its arms off. He hears Flay scream through the group channel. The Ginn leaps into the air to evade the Strike. It throws its shield at the Ginn and takes its legs off. The severed Ginn flies through the air and connects against a boulder.

"Flay?" Yzak calls. "Flay?"

"Yzak…" her voice is so meek as she calls to him through the comm channel. "Yzak, help...me…"

The Strike is moving in on the Ginn. Yzak feels that familiar rage come over him. His eyes dilate as he looks to the Strike. He draws both of Duel's beam sabers and charges towards the Strike. The Strike manages to block both of his beam sabers. Yzak reverses before engaging the Strike once more. The Strike side steps and slices through the Duel's left elbow.

Yzak shifts his right beam saber connects so that it connects with the Strike's beam saber. He presses his beam saber forward, trying with all his might to push the Strike backward.

Yzak reverses. This time he thrusts Duel forward with as much forces as he possibly can. The Strike manages to block his beam saber, but is pushed onto its back as a result. Yzak tries to force his beam saber forward, desperately trying to end the Strike.

A thought crosses his mind. It would destroy Duel, but it would work. Yzak opens the manual self destruct console and types in the self-destruct code. He opens the hatch and leaps outside of the Duel. He sees the Strike attempting to push Duel off of it. Yzak puts his thrusters on full impulse as he tries to put as much distance between himself and the Strike as he possible can.

He hears the initial blast before the shockwave hits. Yzak loses control of his jet back and sails through the air. He hears a loud crack of lightening as he falls. He sees the Strike burnt and tattered as he looks down upon it. _It's really gone._ The Strike has finally been defeated.

His eyes shut as he continues to fall. _It doesn't matter anymore_. He knows his life may very well be over, but _it doesn't matter_. His body hits the ocean and everything goes black.


	20. Breakdown

_**AN:**_ _Yeah, Cagalli is finally introduced in this chapter! Also, thanks for all of your reviews for the last chapter! I'm glad so many of you liked where I went with it. And, yes, I do agree that Yzak should have been the one to destroy the Strike. I love the comment that said that last chapter had a Moby Dick feel. I never really thought of it that way, but it's such a compliment. Thanks again for your comments!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Breakdown_

Her head is searing with pain. She groans as her eyes open. There's this foggy haze before her eyes readjust. Every inch of her body aches, and it takes her everything to sit up in her bed. There's a blonde girl in a red shirt and beige cargo pants. Her brown eyes narrow at Flay as she crosses her arms. She's clearly not from ZAFT. Is she from Blue Cosmos? Is she hear to take her back to her father?

"You're awake?" the blonde says.

Flay looks to her. The blonde drops her arms to her side and takes two steps towards her. Is she part of the Earth Alliance? Flay digs her fingers into her sheets. Her life is such a damn mess. She feels as if she's floating from one prison to another. Perhaps she was naive to believe she'd be happy on the Eternal with Talia Gladys and Arthur Trine. Life could never be that simple.

"You're on an Orb aircraft," the blonde says. "The Archangel contacted me to search for their missing pilots. You and Yzak Joule are the only two we found."

"You know...Yzak?"

"I don't," she replies. "His name was on his dog tag as was yours, Flay Allster."

Cagalli tosses Flay's dog tag onto her bed. That small piece of metal seems like the last piece of who she once was. It's carries the small little details that make her _Flay Allster_ , and yet, she feels like a completely different person. She's no longer George Allster's daughter. She's just a disposal ZAFT soldier - a tool to kill.

"I killed someone…" Flay's voices breaks when she speaks.

"Tolle," Cagalli says. "I am aware. We found what was left of him. He had a girlfriend and friends, Flay."

"I know…" Flay says. "Miriallia, Sai, Kuzzey... _Kira_. I knew all of them."

"Why?" the blonde's voice is hardened. "I know enough about your father to know he's a piece of shit. I understand joining ZAFT, but if you knew them, why fight against them? They're not Blue Cosmos. Kira was a Coordinator. They were our age, Flay? Now Tolle and Kira are dead!"

Tears are brimming the blonde's eyes. How had this girl come to know all of them? She really seemed to care about all of them. Had she known them on Heliopolis?

"Yzak…" she says. "Is he…?"

"He's alive," she says. "We found him washed up on the beach. He hasn't woken up yet."

"Thank goodness," Flay whispers. "I was so scared he might have died. I saw the explosion on my monitor before it cut out. The Strike and the Duel…"

Hot tears string her eyes. Flay tries to fight them, because she's just so damn tired of crying. She draws her knees close to her and wraps her arms around them.

"He says your name in his sleep," the blonde says. "Is he why you disowned your father?"

Flay looks back to the blonde. "It's a lot more complicated that."

Flay thinks about her father. Maybe he intended to kill her or maybe he intended to capture her. Either way, he intended to intercept her on the Dominion. Flay's heart sinks.

"So, are you sending me back to my father?" she asks.

"Your father has outstanding warrants in Orb for war crimes," she says. "My father will return you to the PLANTs when you both recover."

"Your father?" Flay says.

"Uzumi Nara Attha is my father," she says.

"Uh...miss…?"

"Cagalli," she corrects.

"Uh...Cagalli," Flay says. "Can I see Yzak?"

Cagalli looks down at her. She pauses for a few beats before answering. " _Fine_."

Flay's bare feet touch the cool floor. Every inch of her aches as she forces herself out of the bed. She's never felt so much pain in her life. She follows Cagalli into a room across from her. A soft beeping sound echoes through the room from the heart monitor. She sees Yzak laying on the bed with an IV attached to him. He looks so _helpless_.

Flay steps to Yzak. She kneels at the side of the bed and takes his hands into hers. Small, soft sobs escape her as tears start to form in her eyes.

"You two were together?" Cagalli asks.

"Not exactly…" Flay says. "I mean, we were _something_. I joined ZAFT, and we couldn't exactly be together after that."

"Did you serve with Athrun?" Cagalli asks.

Flay lifts her eyes to meet Cagalli's. "You knew Athrun?"

"I met him once," she answers.

"I did serve with him," Flay says. "He transferred not too long ago. He really cared about Kira. They were good friends. Our captain thought his friendship with Kira was a conflict of interests."

"But, your captain had no problem sending you out against all of your friends?" Cagalli says.

"She didn't know," Flay says. "I didn't really know Tolle or Miriallia were even alive. Just Sai and Kira. No one really trusted me in ZAFT. My commander made me pilot that mobile suit. My commander knew my ex-fiance was on that ship. He knew we used to be engaged, but he didn't care. He made me pilot that mobile suit, anyways. I didn't want to kill anyone. I was only trying to survive…"

" _Sai_ …" Cagalli's eyes shift away from Flay's. "Sai was...difficult. He thought you were dead. He blamed Coordinators...even Kira. We got to Orb. He finally had access to the internet. He saw your interview and the things you had said about him specifically. He was already losing it, but I think that was too much."

"It's my fault…" Flay says.

"No," Cagalli says. "It's your father's fault for arranging that marriage in the first place. Both of you are too young to even be thinking about marriage."

Flay looks down at Yzak. Her eyes soften as she looks to his scarred face. She remembers taking care of him in the medbay with Doctor Frazier. All of that seemed so long ago. She was such a stupid girl. She thought that people would protect her if she did what they wanted her to do, but no one could protect her. She had to learn to fend for herself, and because of that, she killed someone.

 _She killed Tolle._

She feels so _cold_. She wraps her arms around herself as if she can shield herself from her own self. Rau Le Creuset made her a killer. She's no better than him or her father.

"I'm a monster," she whispers.

Her eyes meet with Cagalli's. She wishes that Cagalli would just throw her out of this plane. It would be the only way to make things right for Miriallia. It would be the only way to pay her penance for killing Tolle. She wants Cagalli to tell her she's just like her father. She wants her to tell her that she deserves to die, but Cagalli just looks at her with soft eyes. _Does she pity her?_

"You _actually_ feel sorry for me?" Flay says. "I killed someone, and you feel sorry for me."

"I…" Cagalli pauses.

"Why don't you just shoot me?" Flay says. "I killed Tolle. So shoot me!"

"I can't do that," Cagalli says.

"Why?" she asks. "It would be for the best. My father is a killer. I am a killer. We aren't much different."

"Flay, you're being irrational," Cagalli says.

Cagalli backs towards the door. Her grazes a button on her left side. Flay rises to her feet and steps towards Cagalli.

" _Please_ …" she begs. "I want it to end! Please just kill me!"

Two orb soldiers enter the room followed by a doctor in a white overcoat. The men advance upon Flay and grab her by both of her arms.

"I don't know what to do," Cagalli says to the doctor.

"Let me go!" Flay struggles against the men. "LET ME GO!"

The doctor walks towards Flay with a syringe in his hand. She tries to struggle as the doctor takes her hand in his. _No_. She doesn't need medicine. She tries to struggle as the doctor pierces her vein with the needle. She feels a haze come over her. She feels as if she's falling away from herself - almost as if she's losing her grip on her own life.

"Why… _?_ " she whispers. " _Why_?"

Her body goes limp as she fades into nothingness.


	21. Turning Point

_**AN:**_ _With Flay, I noticed in the original series that she was suffering from mental illness ranging depression and post traumatic stress disorder. I used a lot of my personal experiences with depression for this and tried to stay true to the original Flay. Thanks again to all my followers and reviewers!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Turning Point_

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

Yzak's eyes tighten as a soft beeping sound pierces his ears. He remembers falling. The sight of the Duel blowing to pieces and engulfing the Strike flashes in his mind. Yzak's eyes flicker open. He's in an empty room. It doesn't appear to be a ZAFT facility. Has the Earth Alliance captured him?

Yzak looks to his IV. He pulls the needle from his arm and tosses it to the side. He goes to the door and presses the button left of the door. It's sealed shut. _Shit_. He must have been captured. Yzak goes to the communication unit on the right side of the door. He presses the button, hoping to god it's a ZAFT officer on the other side.

A blonde flashes on the screen. "You're awake?"

"Obviously!" he snaps. "Let me out of here!"

The blonde sighs. "I'll be over in a minute."

The comm screen shuts off, leaving Yzak to himself. The blonde girl wasn't dressed in an Earth Alliance uniform. _Where the hell is he?_ The door opens. A middle aged man dressed in brown enters with the blonde girl by his side.

"Hello, Mr. Joule," the man says. "I am Uzumi Nara Attha and this is my daughter Cagalli Yula Attha."

"I'm in Orb?" Yzak asks.

"Temporarily you are residing in an Orb Military Base, yes," Uzumi answers. "I have arranged to send you and Flay Allster back to the PLANTs as soon as you woke up."

"Flay is here?" Yzak says. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

"She's not doing too well…" Cagalli says. "I guess she's doing a little bit better than when she first woke up, but she's having a hard time."

"Can I see her?" Yzak asks.

"I don't see why not," Uzumi says.

Yzak follows Uzumi and Cagalli outside of his room. They walk through a cramped hallway until they reach a door at the end of the hall. Uzumi enters a passcode. The door slides open. He sees Flay sitting at the end of her bed in a simple pink dress. Her eyes seem to light up as if it were New Year's Day when they meet his. She rushes towards him and throws her arms around him.

"Yzak!"

"Easy Flay," Yzak says. "I haven't exactly recovered yet."

"I'm sorry," she loosens her grip and buries her head into his chest. "I was so scared that you'd never wake up."

"Of course, I was going to wake up," Yzak says. "Don't be so be overdramatic."

" _Actually_ …" Cagalli says. "You've been in a coma for twelve days."

Yzak parts from Flay and looks to Cagalli. His skin seems to tingle at those words. Have twelve days really gone by? It feels as if he's only been asleep for only four hours.

"We contacted your mother," Uzumi says. "She's extremely worried. I suppose I should notify her and tell her you've woken up."

Uzumi exits the room, leaving him with Cagalli and Flay. Flay rests her head against his chest and latches onto his shirt. He's gotten used to her neediness by now. Actually, it's quite endearing especially after everything that's happened. He wraps one arm around her waist and looks to Cagalli.

"The Strike pilot?" he looks to her. "Did he live?"

Cagalli shakes her head. "We couldn't find a body. As far as I know, he's MIA."

He should feel exhilarated and accomplished, but he just feels so numb. He's been obsessing over the Strike for so long. Why does he feel so empty? It was supposed to be the most glorious moment of his life, but he feels absolutely nothing.

"I'll go get you some fresh clothes," Cagalli says. "I doubt you're mother wants to speak to you in hospital scrubs."

Cagalli exits the room and closes the door behind her. Yzak looks down at Flay. She's still resting her head against him. It's sad. He's probably the only person she truly has left in her life. She has no family and no other friends. It's no wonder she's so attached to him.

The door opens and Cagalli hands him a bag of clothes. Yzak takes them from her. "Thank you, Miss Attha."

"Sure," she says. "You're mom is waiting to hear from you as we speak. I'll wait outside for you."

She closes the door behind her. Yzak breaks away from Flay and dumps the clothes out onto the bed. Yzak changes into a pair of black slacks and white dress shirt. He fixes a black tie around his neck before pulling on a pair of socks and dress shoes. Yzak walks toward the door and presses the button to open the door.

"Come on, Flay," he says. "We don't have time to waste."

Flay nods and joins him by his side. They walk down the hall and inside a small meeting room. Yzak looks to a large screen at the end of the room to see his mother's face. Just seeing his mother has lifted his spirits. Yzak walks to the front of the room and sits in one of chairs facing the screen. Flay sits in the chair next to him.

"Yzak…" tears brim the corner of his mother's eyes. "Oh my god, Yzak. I'm so glad that you are safe."

Yzak thinks of Dearka. "How is Dearka?"

"The Buster was unfortunately captured," his mother replies.

"And, Athrun?" Yzak says. "Did he survive Operation Spitbreak?"

"Operation Spitbreak was a colossal disaster," his mother says. "But, Athrun survived."

"Wait," Yzak says. "What happened in Alaska?"

"The Earth Alliance intercepted our plans," his mother says. "They destroyed their base with most of our forces. Commander Le Creuset and Athrun luckily survived."

"Of course Le Creuset survived," Flay says with mild annoyance.

Yzak's eyes shift to Flay. Yzak's mother's eyes narrow on the screen. "Do you have something to say, Miss Allster?"

"Isn't it clear to you?" Flay says. "He's been playing you this whole time. Every operation he's involved in seems to be a disaster. The _one_ time we succeeded was under Talia Gladys' command. Why is it not as obvious to you as it is to me?"

"Is Flay Allster on any medication, Mr. Attha?" his mother asks.

"We have her on antidepressants currently," Uzumi replies.

"We'll talk about this when you get back to the PLANTs, Flay," his mother says. "I have a meeting with the Supreme Council in ten minutes. I'll talk to you as soon as I possibly can, Yzak. I'm glad you alright."

"It's good to see you, mom," he says.

"I love you," she says. "I'll see you soon."

The screen turns blank. Flay crosses her arms as she frowns. She looks as if she wants to break something in half.

"Do you really believe that Rau Le Creuset arranged Operation Spitbreak to fail?" Yzak says.

"Who cares what I think?" Flay says. "Apparently I'm crazy now."

"I believe you," Yzak says.

Flay looks to him. A small smile appears on her face as her eyes light up. "You...actually...believe me?"

"I've had my doubts about Le Creuset for a while," Yzak says. "His favoritism towards Athrun, his decision to enlist you as a soldier without giving you proper training, George Allster knowing that you were serving under Talia Gladys. Now the plans for Operation Spitbreak have somehow been leaked, and he's _somehow_ still alive."

"Wait," Cagalli walks towards them. "Who is Rau Le Creuset?"

"He was my commanding officer," Yzak says. "I'm not sure what his motives are, but he playing ZAFT like a damn fiddle."

"What do you plan to do?" Cagalli asks.

"I...don't know yet," Yzak says. "He's in Patrick Zala's pocket. There really isn't much I can do."

The phone rings on Uzumi's desk. "Uzumi Nara Attha speaking...Yes, I am aware of the events that took place in Alaska...the Archangel is seeking refuge?...Wait, he's still alive?...I suppose I have no choice, but to grant them refuge."

Uzumi hangs up the phone and walks towards Cagalli. "The Archangel is seeking refuge in Orb. They've defected from the Earth Alliance after what happened in Alaska. Also...apparently Kira is still alive."

"Kira...is alive," small tears brim the corners of Cagalli's eyes. "Oh, thank god…"

"Can I see them?" Flay rises and turns to Uzumi. "Miriallia and Kira, I mean. I don't know if it's a good idea to see Sai, but at least let me see Miri and Kira.

Yzak's eyes dilate. "What are you talking about, Flay?"

"I know the Strike pilot," she replies. "And, a couple other people on the Archangel. I didn't really want to tell anyone. People already hated me for what my father has done. If I told the truth, it would be another reason for people to hate me."

Yzak looks to her. She clutches one hand close to her chest as her eyes look to the floor. She looks to him and smiles meekly. "Please don't hate me. I really like you a lot, but...I couldn't tell anyone. It would just be another strike against my reputation."

"Flay…?" Yzak looks to her.

"I don't want to go back to ZAFT," tears are forming in her eyes as she speaks. "I've already seen enough war. Orb was my mom's home. _It's my home._ I'm glad I met you, Yzak. Thank you for training me and believing me."

She turns away from him and darts out of the room. Cagalli is rubbing the back of her head, looking just as confused as he is. Yzak lets out a deep sigh as he leans back into her chair. He looks to Uzumi.

"You're going to let her stay here?"

"She is a citizen of Orb. I can't force her to go back to the PLANTs," Uzumi says. "From her personal testimony, I think it's for the best. She's safer here than she ever was in ZAFT."

"I don't understand…" Yzak says. "She never mentioned anything to me."

"Now might be the time to ask her," Uzumi advises. "She's no longer under duress. She'll probably tell you the truth if you ask her."

Yzak rises. He heaves a heavy sigh. _This girl,_ she's such a complicated mess. He exits the room without even a word. He walks through the hall in search for Flay. He rounds the corner and sees her walking with her back facing him.

"Flay…!" he calls to her.

Flay spins on her heel and turns back to meet with him. "Yzak?"

"What happened in ZAFT, Flay?" he asked bluntly. "What do you know about Rau Le Creuset?"

"I joined ZAFT under the impression that it would separate me from my father's reputation," Flay begins. "The first morning after my enlistment, Rau Le Creuset came into my room. He had said I ruined some chance at him returning to my father and hinted at some shitty plan of his. Yzak, I _know_ he's the one that snitched to my dad about where I was. I know he's the reason all those people died in Alaska. I'm not going back to ZAFT! I'm safe here, Yzak! He can't threaten me anymore!"

"Flay…"

"I just want to see my friends," Flay's eyes are to the floor. "Miriallia...Kira...they're still alive. They're all I have left."

Yzak tilts his her chin up. She gasps slightly as she looks up into his eyes. She isn't crying like she usually does. Maybe it's her meds or maybe war has hardened her.

Yzak looks to her. "I'm not angry, Flay. I'm actually just shocked. All I know is that Rau Le Creuset needs to be stopped."

"Your mom?" Flay says. "She can do something, right?"

Yzak shakes his head. "No. Rau Le Creuset is in with Patrick Zala, and my mother would follow Patrick Zala straight into hell if she could."

Flay's looking up to him with doe like eyes. He should have done things differently. He feels responsible for everything that's she's been through. He should have stopped her from joining ZAFT. He should have tried harder to protect her instead of being so fixated on his hatred for Athrun and the Strike.

"I should have told you about Rau Le Creuset when you first asked me," Flay says. "I should have told you about Kira. I was just _so_ scared…"

She's looking up to him as if she's begging for his forgiveness. She really isn't at fault for anything. He probably would have done the same in her position.

"Flay, this war is about to get so much worse," he says. "It might be best for you to stay in Orb."

"But, what about you?" she asks. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet…"


	22. The Archangel's Arrival

_**AN:**_ _Yay! So, I'm being nice in this chapter, because it's going to be a tailspin of emotions from here on out. Also, on Miriallia: she's already conversated with Dearka a few times at this point. I imagine she'd probably ask about Flay, because Flay's assumed death had such an impact on Sai. So, that's pretty much how she knows certain things that have occurred in Flay's life._

 _I've also given a little bit of brief history on Flay's friends from the first episode. I feel like she was surrounded by people that were prejudiced against other groups of people. Bigotry so often goes hand in hand. People that are racist are often times homophobic as well. So, I tried to shed a little bit of light on why Flay was who she was before she was rescued by ZAFT. Anyways, thanks for the feedback guys! I always love hearing what you think._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _The Archangel's Arrival_

 _She's laughing with a brown haired girl in pigtails. The girl's blue eye's seem to sparkle as she looks up to Flay with a bright smile._ Kenzie. _She hadn't thought about her in so long. It's almost as if she'd forgotten that she existed. How can that be possible? Hadn't they just hung out last week with her sister Tiffany._

" _I can't believe that he actually proposed! You and Sai are so perfect!" Kenzie squeals._

" _Sai?" she says._

" _Didn't Sai propose to you?" she says. "That's why you're wearing a ring, isn't it?"_

 _Flay looks at her hand to see a large diamond ring. Sai didn't give this to her. No, it was a someone with silver hair and blue eyes._

" _Yzak…" she says. "Yzak gave this to me."_

 _Kenzie's eyes narrow into slits. "But, you're engaged to Sai, Flay? I can't be your bridesmaid if you're going to marry a filthy Coordinator!"_

" _Kenzie…?" Flay says._

" _I saw my sister with this_ girl _yesterday," she hisses to Flay. "And, now you're dating a Coordinator? I don't even know my own friends and family anymore!"_

" _Kenzie stop!" Flay pleads._

 _Kenzie leaps on top of her and wraps her arms around her neck. Her teeth are bared and her eyes are dilated. "I have to kill them all, Flay! EVERY LAST ONE!"_

" _Ken...zie…" Flay chokes._

Flay's eyes snap open as she sits up in her bed. She's panting heavily as she looks around her room. She'd forgotten about Kenzie. She wonders if that girl even survived Heliopolis. If she did, she must hate Coordinators so much more than she used to. Maybe she joined the Earth Alliance like Sai had.

Flay thinks maybe to ask to use a computer and look through her old social media. It's been months. She wonders how much her old friends have all changed. She wonders if they've changed for better or for worse. She remembers Tiffany's jet black pixie cut. Kenzie was worried about her and this girl Tiffany was hanging out with. Why had she even stayed friends with Kenzie? Wasn't her increasing paranoia of her sister's sexuality enough to show that she was a negative influence? It wasn't as if she couldn't have made new friends. Surely, Miriallia would have been happy to have her around.

Flay hears a knock at her door. "I'll be there in a second!"

Flay climbs out of her bed and grabs a white robe off hanging from a hook. She wraps the robe around herself and goes to the door. She pulls the door open to see Cagalli standing on the other side.

"Hi," Flay says.

"Uh, hi," Cagalli says awkwardly as she steps inside. "The Archangel is supposed to arrive in a few minutes. I thought you'd want to see your friends."

"Yeah," Flay says. "That would be nice."

Flay grabs a pink sun dress from her dresser. She goes inside her bathroom and pulls off her robe and changes into her sundress. She combs out her hair and fixes it in into a half ponytail. Flay exits her rooms and slips her feet into a simple pair of flip flops.

Flay looks to Cagalli. She looks so regal in her white Orb uniform. She almost looks like an entirely different person than the Cagalli she met when she first woke up. Flay touches her head as she thinks to her last memories as a ZAFT pilot. She remembers being hit by the Strike's shield. She thought she was going to die.

"Are you okay?" Cagalli asks.

"Yeah…" Flay forces a smile. "Um...about Sai. It's going to be really hard between us."

"He wasn't on the crew list," Cagalli says.

"What do you mean?" Flay asks.

"He's not on the Archangel," Cagalli says. "He must have transferred."

" _Oh_ …"

There's this sinking pit in her stomach. If he transferred in Alaska, there's a good chance he died there. Flay never expected to rekindle their relationship nor does she want to. _Still_ , she wants the chance to explain why she made some of the choices she did. It's starting to look more and more likely that she'll never really get that chance.

Cagalli places her hands on Flay's shoulders. She gives her this encouraging smile as she looks to her. "You're going to see Kira and Miriallia today though. I'm sure they'll be happy to see you too!"

The Skygrapser flashes in her mind. Flay was remembers aiming the Ginn's rifle. She hadn't expected a direct hit. She hadn't expected to actually kill someone. _She didn't know_. How could she have? If Miriallia ever finds out…

Flay forces a smile to Cagalli and nods. She follows Cagalli through a series of halls. Finally, they enter a room overhanging a large hangar. Flay approaches the window and gazes downward. The Archangel is docking inside the port. It looks so much larger than she had remembered it to be. Cagalli darts off and runs out the door that they just came through. She must have really grown fond Archangel Crew during her days as a guerilla fighter. Flay places her fingers on the glass as she looks downward. Flay's caught between the excitement of seeing her friends and the dread that they might reject her. What if Miriallia already knows that she killed Tolle?

"Flay…"

Flay shifts to see Yzak in a white suit. She pivots on her heel to face him. She really does like him a lot. Flay smiles softly. She's really going to miss him.

"I thought you might have left already," Flay says.

"There's been a delay," Yzak says. "ZAFT has engaged an Earth Alliance fleet near the Earth's Atmosphere. So, I can't leave until yet."

" _Oh_ …" Flay says. "Do they know I'm not returning?"

"I didn't say anything," Yzak says. "They'll find out you went AWOL when you miss your shuttle."

"AWOL?" Flay asks.

"Absent without leave," Yzak answers. "I should probably tell you that you won't be allowed in the PLANTs if you choose to stay here."

"It's...fine," Flay says. "I uh...I just wanted to thank you for looking after me."

Yzak's eyes flicker towards her. "It's really nothing. I was under orders."

"You volunteered to train me," Flay says. "I'm not sure if I would have survived had it been anyone else."

Flay lowers her gaze to hide her blushing cheeks and whimsical smile. She's never been this nervous around a guy before. She's always been so used to men throwing themselves at her. With Yzak, she's not exactly sure where she stands. She looks up into his eyes. Their first night together flashes in her mind. Her knees feel weak.

 _She loves him._

A part of her wants to pour her heart out to him as if it can make him stay in Orb. The realistic part tells her not to. It will be harder when he leaves. Her heart feels as if it's been stabbed with an ice pick. She'll probably never see him again.

 _She can't go back_. Love is such a powerful emotion, but survival is such a driving force that eclipses everything. Even if she serves under Talia Gladys, she will never be safe from Rau Le Creuset. His power in ZAFT extends beyond the crew of the Vesalius. Alaska is proof of that. She's truly fallen head over heals for Yzak, but she can't follow him back to ZAFT. Flay's nails dig into her palms as she tries to calm herself. War takes and takes and takes, but never does it give.

Flay turns and walks to the door. To her surprise, Yzak follows by her side. Flay exits the room and walks down the hall. There's this odd silence between them. Flay stops and faces him. Her eyes are looking up to his. She could at least give him a kiss goodbye. That couldn't hurt? Could it?

" _Flay?_ "

Flay turns to see Miriallia in a pink Earth Alliance jacket and yellow skirt. Tolle's Skygrasper flashes in her mind, and Flay feels a chill run down her spine. _Maybe she already knows_. It would be easier that way, because Flay isn't exactly sure if she has it in her to tell Miriallia the truth.

A smile appears on Miriallia's face as she rushes to Flay. She gives Flay a tight hug. Flay's arms are stiff at first before she returns Miriallia's hug.

"Miri…"

Miriallia looks to Yzak. "Is this a new boyfriend of yours?"

Flay is pretty sure her face has turned beat red. Her stomach seems to do a back flip as she places her hands in front of herself defensively. "Uh...no. It's not like that."

"Oh, I assumed, because, well…" Miriallia's eyes become sad. "I don't even know why I assumed anything. It's really good to see you."

"How is everyone?" Flay says. "I know Sai isn't on the crew list, but…"

"Uh, yeah…" Miriallia says. "Your dad wanted him transferred. I'm not even sure if he made it out of Alaska alive. We barely managed to escape ourselves. Kuzzey and Kira are still hea, but Tolle didn't make it…"

" _I'm sorry_ …"

Her words feel so double ended. She's both saying that she sorry it happened, and that she's sorry for killing him in two simple words. Flay's heart feels as if it's being ripped from her.

"It's not your fault…" Miriallia voice sounds so hollow. "It's just what happens in war I guess."

 _But, it is_. Flay tries to keep her facial features neutral as she looks to Miriallia. Miriallia forces a smile. She looks to Yzak and holds out her hand. "I'm sorry. I should have introduced myself earlier. I'm Miriallia Haw."

"Yzak Joule," Yzak takes her hand and shakes it.

Miriallia's brow furrows at Flay as she crosses her arms. "Are you sure there's nothing going on between you too?"

"No...he's my commanding officer," Flay becomes nervous all over again. " _Seriously,_ It's not what you think."

"That's not what I heard," Miriallia says half teasingly.

"What are you even talking about?" Flay demands.

"It's nothing," Miriallia says as she walks past Flay. "Kira's here too. I don't know how close you were, but I'm sure he'd like to see you."

"Uh, yeah…"

"Oh Yzak," Miriallia turns back and looks to Yzak. "Dearka's still locked up in the Archangel. He should be cleared in about an hour. I'm sure he'd like to see you."

"Dearka is with you?" Yzak asks.

"I just said he was," Miriallia says nonchalantly.

There's this small pause between both of them before Flay says, "I guess everything worked itself out for once."

"It would seem so," Yzak says.

She looks up into his eyes. _She really shouldn't_. Flay takes two steps forward and grabs him by the collar of his white blazer. She places a kiss directly on his lips. She pulls away from him and takes two steps back.

"I'm not sure if I'll see you again after you leave. I didn't want to regret not kissing you goodbye."

Yzak steps towards her and wraps one arm around her. He rests his head on her head. Flay wishes somehow she could make him stay. _She really is going to miss him._


	23. George Allster

_**AN:** Sorry for the delayed update. Life got a little hectic for a bit. So, this is pretty much where the shit hits the fan. The next chapter I'll probably have in Yzak's perspective, but this chapter is will be in Flay's POV. Also I hated Yuna in Destiny and it shows in this chapter._

 ** _Behind Enemy Lines_**

 _George Allster_

Orb feels so peaceful. Flay can't really remember a time she felt this at ease, but it's nice. There isn't the dread of her future or the looming threat of Rau Le Creuset. People seem to be so happy here. Flay smiles to herself as she walks through the halls. She's so glad to be free of both her father's politics and ZAFT. She can just _be_.

Her eyes catch Dearka and Yzak walking towards her. It's so strange seeing them in civilian clothing rather than their red ZAFT uniforms. It makes everything seem so _normal_. Flay remembers the night they got her stupid drunk. They seemed to bag on Athrun so much. She feels a little bad about participating in their mean spirited jokes. She imagines Athrun is a nice enough person even if his father isn't.

"Morning," Yzak says.

Flay almost skips towards him. A smile emerges on her face. He probably knows that she's stupidly in love with him. She doesn't really care. She's got maybe two days left to be with him, and she's going to make the most of it.

"I heard you weren't coming back," Dearka says.

Flay shakes her head and says, "It's for the best. I don't think I was much of a soldier."

"You managed to hold your own," Dearka says. "Give yourself a little credit. Those two blonde guys bit the dust and they had more training than you ever did."

"It's probably because I had a better teacher," Flay hooks her arm around Yzak's.

Flay's eyes scan Cagalli walking towards her. "There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."

Flay's brow furrows. Why would Cagalli be searching for her?

"Flay," Cagalli's tone is serious. "An Earth Alliance Fleet is heading towards Orb. They have demands for us to surrender Morgenroete and our Mass Driver."

"I was part of ZAFT," Flay's arm wraps tighter around Yzak's as she becomes defensive. "This has nothing to do with me."

"Well, actually it does…" Cagalli says. "Your father is trying to make negotiations with us. We haven't told him you're here yet. It's just my father thought that you'd like to know."

Her heart sinks. Her entire body becomes numb as she tries to wrap her head around it all. _No_. She had peace. She wasn't going to have to participate in the war anymore. _No_. Orb has to stay neutral.

"If you plan to surrender," Flay voice is surprisingly hardened. "I'll go back to ZAFT. I don't care if my father forgives me. I'm not going back to him or Sai."

"We don't plan to surrender," Cagalli reassures. "Orb will probably become a battlefield."

Flay releases Yzak's arm and steps towards Cagalli. A fire seems to lit beneath her. She looks to Cagalli with fierce eyes as words seem to flow from her. "I want to talk to my father."

Cagalli gasps. "Flay...are you sure that's a good idea? He hasn't been exactly rational in his negotiations with us."

"I know he won't listen to me," her hands ball into fists. "I need to do this though."

"Alright," Cagalli agrees. "I'll see what I can do. Follow me."

Flay takes a step forward, but stops. She turns back to Yzak. She takes her hands in his and looks up to him.

"I'll tell you what's going on when I get back," she promises.

She releases his hands and goes back to Cagalli. Her nerves feel as if they are being set on fire. She's caught between the fear of seeing her father again and the closure she will finally get. Flay joins Cagalli's side. She glances at Cagalli, studying her facial features as if Cagalli can give her the answers she's looking for. Flay supposes she already has her answer. It's just not the one she wants.

They enter a meeting room. Uzumi Nara Attha's eyes raise to her. Several men and women in brown blazers look to her as she steps forward. Her knees are shaking as she looks to Uzumi Nara Attha. She bows her head in respect before raising her eyes back to Uzumi.

"Mr. Attha, I would like to speak with my father," she says.

The whole room goes quiet. All eyes are on her, and she suddenly becomes so nervous. A man with orange glasses snorts at her and whispers into the ear of a violet haired man. The two exchange this look before the man in orange glasses speaks.

"Are you part of ZAFT or are you with the Earth Alliance, Flay Allster?" the man looks to her through transparent orange lenses.

"Mr. Seiran," Uzumi interrupts. "Miss Allster has spoken to myself and my daughter. I trust that whatever reason she has for asking to speak with George Allster is not out of malicious intent."

The violet haired man rises from his seat and gestures towards Flay. "Her father has just made threats to burn Orb to the ground and you're going to allow her to speak with him? Her father is a war criminal that exploits teenagers! We can't trust her!"

"Yuna, stop!" Cagalli looks to him with crossed arms. "Flay has no allegiance to her father. We've all seen her interview that aired in the PLANTs, and she's actually very close with Ezalia Joule's son."

Yuna glares at Flay before his eyes return to Cagalli. "Cagalli, if Orb falls, I'm afraid of what will happen to you. We can't take any chances."

"I'm going to take that chance," Uzumi intervenes. "Flay is the best chance we have to convince George Allster to leave. It's a long shot, but I'm willing to try."

Yuna sits down in his seat and crosses his arms over his chest. His eyes narrow at her for a brief moment. Flay shifts her eyes away from Yuna and looks directly to Cagalli. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks of her. If she cannot convince her father to stop the Earth Alliance's siege on Orb, thousands of people will die. Yuna's nasty stares and poor opinion mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

The phone on the table rings. Uzumi presses a button to answer through speaker phone. "Uzumi Nara Attha speaking, how may I help you?"

"Sir...Gilbert Durandal and Ezalia Joule have offered to broker an alliance with ZAFT," a woman's voice calls through the phone. "You might want to listen to what they have to say."

"Tell them that I thank them for their offer, but Orb will remain neutral," Uzumi responds.

Flay is stunned by his response. ZAFT might be the only chance they have to fight off the Earth Alliance forces. She wants to question him, but she's recognizes her place. She is not a politician. Uzumi is privy to information that she is blind too. She trusts that he's making the best decision he can with the information he has available to him.

"I also would like to attempt another negotiation with Mr. Allster as soon as possible," Uzumi says.

"Yes sir," the woman responds.

Uzumi presses a button to cancel the call. He laces his fingers together and rests them on the table. All of the representatives are looking towards him.

"I'm going to attempt one final negotiation with George Allster," he says. "Perhaps the words of his daughter might be able to sway his decision."

She catches another glare from Yuna. Flay's eyes avoid his gaze. Cagalli closes her hand around Flay's bicep. She directs Flay outside of the meeting room. They round a corner and Cagalli shifts Flay around so that she faces her.

"This is crazy," Flay says.

"I know," Cagalli agrees.

"Who is that Yuna guy?" Flay says as she wrinkles her nose to convey her disgust.

"I don't know him that well," Cagalli says nervously. "He tries to be nice to me, but he's super overbearing. So, I just try to ignore him."

"If your father's negotiations fail," Flay says. "Is there anyway I can return to ZAFT?"

"Well, um...that might be difficult," Cagalli says. "It will be hard to exit the country during a siege."

"I can pilot a mobile suit," Flay says. "I'm not as good as Yzak, Dearka, or Kira, but I'll help."

"I could ask my father if you can help," Cagalli says. "I'm not sure if he'll let you though."

Uzumi rounds the corner. Flay straightens herself and looks up to him. She feels this nervous feeling in her knees. She draws in a deep breath and tries to tell herself to be calm.

"Flay," he says. "Follow me."

Flay follows Uzumi back into the meeting room. The table where men and women in brown blazers once sat is now vacant. Flay's eyes fall onto the seat where Yuna once sat. She supposes that there will always be men that associate her with her father and Blue Cosmos. It's an unfortunate circumstance that she might deal with for the rest of her life.

"I felt that it would be best if you spoke with your father with just myself and my daughter," Uzumi says. "I do apologize for the Seirans' words."

"It isn't your fault," Flay says.

"They still do represent Orb," Uzumi says. "And, I apologize on their behalf."

Uzumi grabs a remote and turns to a large communication screen. He turns the communication screen on. Uzumi takes his seat at the head of the table as a clear picture of her father comes into view. Flay gasps. Her skin seems to tingle as she looks to the image of her father on the comm screen. His eyes seem to dilate as he looks to her.

"Flay…"

"Papa…"

It's been months now since she's last spoken to her father. A part of her expected to hate him for his war crimes and all that he's done, but she just can't find it in her to hate him. She steps around the table so that she stands directly in front of the view screen.

She can forgive him. Somehow...

He releases a deep breath. His eyes become hardened before he speaks. "Are you with ZAFT...or are you with Orb? You loyalties and motivations have become unclear."

"I…"

"Why did you come to speak with me?" he demands. "You've destroyed your relationship with your fiancé. You've disowned me, your own father, on national television…"

"I didn't disown you," she says. "I never said-"

"Oh, shut up you stupid little girl," he says. "I don't know what goes through your head sometimes. Was Sai not good enough for you? No, he wasn't. Only a perfect Coordinator could satisfy you."

"I never said that," Flay says. "What are you even talking about?"

"I know everything, Flay," he says. "You might have thought your secrets were safe, but I know about you and Ezalia Joule's son. I have ears in ZAFT and in Orb even."

"Rau Le Creuset…" Flay says. "I knew it was him leaking secrets."

"It doesn't matter who I got my intel from," he says. "Now - why have you come to speak with me?"

"I came to ask you not to attack Orb," she says. "I know you're angry, but please - dad thousands of people are going to die if you siege Orb."

"No Flay, Patrick Zala - your new leader - will kill millions of Naturals if I don't," he says. "You forget what you are, Flay. Lacus Clyne and Yzak Joule have polluted your mind with false friendship."

"No, daddy," she shakes her head. "Lacus and Yzak aren't like that."

"Yzak's mother is a nasty, corrupt woman," he says. "And Siegel Clyne was a mere community organizer before getting into politics. He's a stupid fool that believes in a peace that will never be achieved. How can you expect to follow leaders that are either corrupted or weak?"

"If you tried to talk with them, maybe you would see things differently," Flay says. "They are people just like you, dad."

He scoffs at her. "I'm done with this conversation. You can either return to the Atlantic Federation with me or die in Orb. The choice is yours."

"I'm not coming back," Flay's entire body goes stiff.

"Then, you've made your choice," he says. "Goodbye Flay."

The communication screen flickers off. The entire room goes silent.

"Well," Cagalli heaves a heavy sigh. "That went well…"

"The only thing we can do now is prepare for a siege," Uzumi says. "It would seem that George Allster is beyond reason at this point. I'm sorry Flay."

Flay wipes tears that are forming in her eyes and breathes a shaky breath. "Let me fight with you then. This is my father's fault, and I feel responsible."

"We need all the help we can get," Cagalli says. "And, you've already been in combat. Dad, we should let her."

Uzumi studies Flay for a moment. "We have mass produced Astray units. I suppose we could allow you to use one if you insist on fighting."

Flay straightens her shoulders back and stands tall. She never imagined that she would let herself go back into the field after her last experience, but she can't just hide. Orb is her home. She won't run anymore. This is her chance to finally do something she believes in.

She looks to Uzumi. "Thank you, Mr. Attha. I will do my best."


	24. A Country at War

_**AN:** Thank you to the reviewer that pointed out that the Astray models are the Orb mass production unit. I had thought Morgenroete produced them, but I was wrong. I made the necessary corrections in the last chapter. Also, I do plan to give Yzak an upgraded mobile suit soon. You are all welcome to give me ideas since I'm not entirely sure how to pull that one off yet._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _A Country at War_

He had been outside with Dearka when the air raid sirens sounded. An Orb soldier had asked that they both stay inside the base. Flay had left with Cagalli two hours prior. It seems that whatever words she shared with her father had been ineffective.

Yzak sees Flay at the end of the hall, but not in a frilly dress. She's carrying a pink helmet in one hand and she's now donned a pink pilot suit. Miriallia is sprinting next to her, still wearing an Earth Alliance uniform despite her defection. Flay's eyes meet with Yzak. She stops and runs towards him.

"The negotiations failed with my father," Flay says. "The Earth Alliance is going to attack Orb. I have to go out there and do something."

He won't argue with her. If she survived against the Archangel, he imagines she's more than capable of handling herself now. He places his hand on her shoulder and looks to her.

"Be careful, Flay."

She nods to him. "I'll try."

Flay looks to him for a moment before she takes off running down the hall. Miriallia stays for a moment. She looks to Dearka.

"I have to go," she says. "I don't know what you plan to do, but it might be best to try to evacuate Orb. Flay's father is part of Blue Cosmos. He won't be nice to you if he's captured."

"You're worried about me," Dearka half grins. "I'm flattered."

"Don't be stupid," Miriallia replies. "Seriously, I have to go."

She sprints away from Dearka, leaving him dumbfounded. "Natural women are so confusing."

"Tell me about it," Yzak replies.

Dearka's eyes become serious as he looks off into the distance. "I'm not going to just sit here and twiddle my thumbs. The Earth Alliance is still ZAFT's enemy. I have to do something."

Dearka turns on his feet and rushes after Miriallia. Yzak clenches his fists together. Dearka has the right idea. Yzak can't just sit here and watch Orb go to hell. He turns and darts after Flay.

"Flay!" he calls out to her. "Flay!"

Flay stops and turns to him.

"I'm going with you!" he insists.

She is shocked at first, but then, responds with a soft nod. Yzak follows Flay through a series of halls and into a large hangar. There are three women pilots. A blue haired woman in thick pink rimmed glasses approaches Flay.

"Miss Attha told me that you would be joining us," she holds out her hand. "I'm Juri Wu Nein."

Flay shakes her hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Flay Allster. Um...Yzak is a pilot too. He wants to help. I'm not sure what you can do, but we need all the help we can get."

Juri studies him for a moment. "Both you and Yzak are experienced pilots. I'll probably get an earful for this, but I suppose I can allow Yzak to use one of our Astray models."

It isn't his Duel, but Yzak supposes it will do. Duel is nothing but debris now. Yzak follows Juri up a ladder. She leads him to a black Astray model. Juri adjusts her glasses as she looks to Yzak.

"This is the only model I am willing to entrust you with," Juri says. "If our odds weren't so stacked against us, I would not allow this in the first place. But, Mr. Allster's fleet is prepared to burn Orb to ashes for our Mass Driver. You are a Coordinator from the PLANTs. I can't see you turning our own weapons on us."

"That is not my intention Miss Nein," he reassures.

"Be careful, Yzak," she says. "This is a fleet comprised of new GAT-X models and the lesser Strike models. It will be different than fighting a single war ship with one GAT-X model at its disposal."

Yzak nods to her. He practically leaps inside the Astray Gundam. His hands find the switch to activate its power supply. There's a password lock on the monitor.

"Oh!" Juri leans inside the cockpit. Her fingers type across the screen to unlock the password. She reverses out of the cockpit. "Good luck out there."

Yzak closes the hatch to the Astray. A comm screen lights up and Flay appears in a pink helmet. Her eyes are serious rather than panicked. "I'm ready when you are, Yzak."

This is new. Yzak smiles back to her. It's nice to see that she's gained a bit more confidence. He remembers the girl that cried all the time. War can harden even the most sensitive souls. Nicol flashes in Yzak's mind. He wishes that Nicol was here fighting with them.

"Be careful, Flay," Yzak says. "This is different than tackling one warship, a GAT-X model, and some shitty Skygraspers."

She raises the ZAFT salute to him. "Yes, sir."

Her face disappears from the comm screen. Yzak studies the Astray's controls. They are similar to the Duel's, but more simplified. His hands move over the touch screen as he tries to gather as much knowledge as he can. The controls on this model are condensed into simple operations. The operating system must have been developed for Natural use. Yzak frowns. The machine will be less effectively, but he will make it work.

He moves the Astray onto a sled. Juri's face appears on the main screen. "The Astray will be launched in an upwards motion. The Earth forces have just begun their assault on Orb. We've identified three GAT-X models, and an Archangel class warship among George Allster's fleet. Be prepared for anything."

Yzak nods.

Juri's face disappears from the comm screen. Yzak's stomach slips as the Duel is shot straight into the air. His hands grip the joysticks as he focuses. He can see several grunt mobile suits on sleds. They must be the mass produced lesser Strike models.

Yzak aims the beam rifle and makes a direct hit on the first mobile suit he aims for. The Strike Dagger bursts into flames and falls from its sled. A Green Mobile Suit comes into view. Yzak shoots his beam rifles. The Green GAT-X suit dodges effortlessly and charges him with its Scythe. Yzak barely dodges the attack.

Yzak fires his beam rifle at the Green Mobile Suit. It would be a perfect shot, but the beam seems to bend at an angle rather than directly hit the Gundam. Yzak grits his teeth.

The Gundam aims its rail guns mounted on its back. Shit. Yzak curves the Astray to the right, barely dodging the attack.

"Yzak!" he hears Flay cry through the group channel. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he says. "Fuck this damn machine! It can't bank for shit!"

Flay's pink Astray comes into view. She fires its beam rifle at the Green GAT-X suit. The beam deflects off the side.

"It has some sort of deflection system build into it," Yzak says. "Our beam rifles won't work against it."

Yzak draws his beam saber and charges forward. The Forbidden Gundam reverses and aims its railguns. Yzak pulls back immediately and shifts the Astray away from the oncoming attack. This pilot is good. Is he a Coordinator?

Another Mobile Suit flies towards the Green GAT-X model. It spreads its blue wings and fires a series of attacks. The Green GAT-X shifts on its sled, missing the attack by a mere inch. A Natural would have never been able to dodge that attack. They have to be Coordinators.

"Flay," the pilot says over the group. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she says.

"We have orders to return to the base," the pilot says

The Green GAT-X model is retreating with a group of Strike Daggers. It would seem that the Earth Alliance has called their forces back. Yzak follows the new mobile suit back to the base. He notes that it doesn't require a sled. Is this an updated Gundam from Morgenroete? Yzak flies back into the hangar. He moves the Astray to the dock. His fingers run over the touch screen as he studies the system. It has tons of problems. The coding is developed for easy use. He's not going to be able to do much damage to the Earth Alliance's new breed of pilots at this rate.

Yzak opens the hatch and climbs out of the Astray. Flay is rushing towards him, her hair free from her helmet. She throws her arms around him before her arms slide downwards to wrap around his arm. It's oddly comforting. He used to find her clinginess annoying, but now he seems to almost welcome it.

A brown haired pilot is walking towards them with his helmet in hand. They make eye contact. Who is this person? He seems to be piloting an updated version of the Gundam. The boy's eyes scan Flay. Her arms tighten around his arm as if she's half-scared of him.

"Flay…" the pilot says.

"Kira…"

There's this awkward silence between the three of them. Kira's eyes move to Yzak's. His eyes are difficult to read. "Cagalli told me you were the one that piloted the GAT-X suit that self destructed the Strike."

"You're the Strike pilot?" Yzak's entire body goes stiff. "You killed Nicol!"

"I lost a friend I cared about too…" Kira says. "Where's Athrun?"

"I'm not just going to give you ZAFT intel," Yzak says. "You're an Earth Alliance soldier."

"I don't fight for the Earth Alliance anymore," Kira says.

Yzak scoffs at Kira. "It doesn't matter. I haven't the slightest clue where Athrun is right now. Maybe you should ask him yourself. He is your friend after all."

"We were friends before the war," Kira answers. "The only contact I've had with him is through a comm screen since then."

There's a brief silence before Kira turns his attention to Flay. "Miri told me that Sai transferred."

"I know…" Flay says. "Cagalli told me."

"Maybe it's for the best," Kira says. "We weren't exactly friends anymore towards the end."

"I'm sorry," Flay apologizes on Sai's behalf.

"It wasn't your fault. He had a lot of problems," Kira walks by Flay and places his hand on her shoulder. "It's good to see you again."

Kira leaves Yzak and Flay standing on the metal rafter. Flay appears as if she's lost in her own thoughts, but Yzak's blood is boiling. The Strike pilot still lives, and he's returned from the grave with an upgraded mobile suit. Nicol never was truly avenged.

"Yzak…"

Flay is looking up at him with concern. He isn't sure what he should tell her.

"He killed Nicol," he says bitterly.

"I know," she says.

"Nicol was good," he says. "He was the best of us."

"Yzak…" she says. "My dad is going to siege the city until he gets what he wants. I know you're angry, but fighting against each other is only going to make it worse."

His chest burns with anger as Nicol's last words fill his head. "Athrun...run…" How is it that fate would have him fighting along the Strike pilot's side? He clenches his fist as heat rises through him.

"He was supposed to be dead…" Yzak says.


	25. Tactical Meeting

_**AN:** So, I've changed some things, because I always thought the tri-ship alliance didn't make sense in terms of military strategy. Also, Yzak is going to have a moment of awesome in this chapter that coincides with his leadership position in Destiny. I'm actually surprised how this chapter developed. Let me know what you think!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Tactical Meeting_

Flay climbs up the ladder to the rafter and runs the black Astray Gundam. Her eyes light up when she sees Yzak. She jumps onto the opened hatch and leans over the dashboard. There is blocky white text on a black screen. Flay squints at the text, trying to read the series of numbers and letters. She can't make sense of any of it.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"I'm trying to make updates to the operating system," Yzak says. "The Astray runs too slow for me."

"Oh…" Flay says. "Mine runs better than the Ginn."

"That's because the Ginn model was made for Coordinators," Yzak explains. "Le Creuset had the operating system rewritten last minute for you. I imagine it had a lot of faulty coding."

Flay adjusts the red jacket Cagalli gave her. She sits cross legged on top of the hatch in a pair of blue jeans. The Atlantic Fleet still sits at the edge of Orb waters. Is there really a chance that they can fend off the Atlantic Fleet? The Earth Alliance needs their Mass Driver. She knows her father. He won't stop until he gets what he wants.

Flay leans forward on her palms as she studies Yzak. He's seems so invested in correcting the coding. He lets out a frustrated growl as his fists slam on the dashboard. Flay jerks in response.

"I'm going to have to make it work," Yzak sounds so defeated. "It's slow. The weapons are weak, and I'm pretty sure I'll probably die if the new GAT-X models make a direct hit. But, it's all I have right now."

Yzak climbs out of the Astray and straightens his blue blazer. He holds his hand out to her and helps her to his feet. She thinks back to when she was just a schoolgirl. She could have never imagined that her life would have transformed into this. Sai, Kenzie, Tiffany - they seem so far gone now. It's almost as if her old friends are ghosts now.

Flay tries to think of what life might be life if they survive the war. She wonders if her and Yzak will still be this close. She can't really see a life where they'd just stop speaking with each other.

"You're oddly quiet," Yzak mentions as they walk to the ladder.

"I've just got a lot on my mind," she says.

"Your dad?" he asks.

"Yeah," she answers with a heavy breath. "Among other things…"

Flay watches as Yzak grips the ladder. He places the insides of his feet on the outside of the ladder before sliding down effortlessly. She half grins to herself. She positions herself on the ladder just as Yzak did. She loosens her grip just enough to slide down. When her feet hit the bottom, she feels this rush. Flay bends over and clutches her knees as she releases a laugh.

"You're one step ahead of Athrun, Private Allster," Yzak jests.

"Oh please! I might be able to shimmy down a ladder, but Athrun is clearly the better pilot," she pauses as Athrun comes to mind. "I wonder what ever happened to him."

"If he survived Alaska and Panama, he's probably still serving under Rau Le Creuset," Yzak says.

"It's funny," Flay says. "Cagalli asks about him sometimes. I wish I could give her better answers, but Athrun and I never really talked much."

"Why would Cagalli ask about Athrun?" Yzak asks.

"They met _like_ once," Flay says. "He really must have left an impression…"

"Maybe tell her Athrun is engaged," Yzak says with a half grin.

"I can't imagine he is anymore…" Flay says. "Lacus and Siegel Clyne are both wanted by ZAFT. Cagalli told me."

"What could they have possible done to piss Patrick Zala off?" Yzak says. "Siegel Clyne doesn't exactly antagonize anyone, and Lacus is just a celebrity."

"I don't know," Flay says. "Lacus was so kind to me. I don't understand it either."

"I shouldn't say this," Yzak says. "But, I'm glad I'm in Orb right now. I'm not sure how I feel about ZAFT going after the Clynes."

"I know that my father feared Patrick Zala," Flay says. "He's...intimidating. But, Yzak? Is he really dangerous?"

"I'm not sure anymore," Yzak says. "My mother is fiercely loyal to him, and she insists that he knows best. I haven't been given a reason to distrust Patrick Zala prior to this, but going after a teenaged girl over his political rivalry with her father? It seems sketch."

Flay looks to him. "And, Athrun?"

"I don't know what he'll do," he says. "But, I don't see him going against his own father. Disowning Patrick Zala would create the same result for Athrun as it did for you except on a larger scale."

Flay crosses her arms and lowers her gaze to the floor. She stands flat on one foot with the other leg bent as she contemplates all that has happened. Maybe she had regretted her interview and her choice to enlist at first, but she can't anymore. She tries to picture herself being rescued by the Archangel. Maybe she'd still with Sai, maybe she wouldn't. Somehow, she's sure she wouldn't be nearly as strong as she is today had she not been intercepted by ZAFT.

The sound of shoes hitting the steel floor draw Flay from her thoughts. She sees Yuna Roma Seiran dressed in a brown blazer and matching brown slacks. His balled up fists sway back and forth as he approaches both Flay and Yzak.

"Cagalli asked me to find you," his eyes narrow at Flay. "Mr. Attha is having some kind of private meeting."

"Let me guess," Yzak grins. "You weren't invited?"

"You weren't invited either!" Yuna snaps.

Flay hooks her arm around Yzak and smiles. "I'm inviting him."

"You don't have the authority to do so, Allster," he says through gritted teeth.

"Just take me to the damn meeting," Flay rolls her eyes.

"May I remind you that I am an Orb Representative!" Yuna eyes Flay with contempt. "I will speak to Mr. Attha of your _behavior_."

Flay and Yzak both burst into laughter. This guy? Was he put on Earth to be a joke?

"Go ahead and tell him. I don't care," Flay says. "Can I just go to the meeting?"

Yuna gives her a long, cold stare before turning on his feet. Flay follows Yuna with Yzak by her side. Her eyes glance out of the hallway windows and into the clear blue skies. In mere hours, those skies will be a battlefield. Flay wonders how much longer Orb can hold off the Earth Alliance forces or if they even can hold them off permanently.

Yuna opens a door for Flay. Yzak and Flay walk passed him as if he doesn't even exist. Flay looks to the meeting table. Uzumi sits at head and Cagalli sits at the end. Murrue Ramius, Mu La Flaga, and Kira sit on one side of table. Flay takes a seat next to Cagalli and directly across from Kira. Yzak sits next to her and directly in front of Mu La Flaga.

Uzumi looks to Yzak for a moment. "I had asked for just Flay."

"She asked me to come, Mr. Attha," Yzak replies.

"I suppose there is no harm in you being here," Uzumi replies.

His gaze shifts directly to Flay. "Orb doesn't have the resources to defeat the Atlantic Fleet. I will have you retreat with Cagalli into space aboard the Kusanagi so that you are not intercepted by your father. The Archangel will follow you."

"But, we can't just give up, dad!" Cagalli protests.

"George Allster and Muruta Azrael are prepared to level Orb into a parking lot," Uzumi's voice is stern. "I won't risk your safety by keeping you here."

Cagalli's brown eyes are downcast. She bites her lower lip as if she's trying to fight saying whatever might be on her mind.

"Just the Archangel and one other ship?" Yzak interjects. "Pardon my intrusion, but two ships cannot fight a war."

"What would you have me do, Mr. Joule?" Uzumi says.

"Have you ever served in the military, sir?" Yzak is looking directly to Uzumi.

"I have not," Uzumi answers.

"If either ZAFT or the Earth Alliances turn their forces on your small fleet, everyone in that fleet will die including your daughter," Yzak says.

"I have a high powered mobile suit," Kira says. "I can protect the Archangel and the Kusanagi."

"Against a fleet the size of the Atlantic Fleet?" Yzak scoffs and rolls his eyes at Kira. "We can barely keep them at bay now. One Mobile Suit, no matter how powerful, will not keep an entire fleet a bay."

Mu crosses his arms. "He's right. Two ships won't get us very far."

Yzak glances to Uzumi. "You're going to need to push as many warships through your Mass Driver as you can and blow the Mass Driver so that the Atlantic Fleet won't be able to pursue your fleet into space."

There's this sudden silence around the table. Murrue and Mu seemed stunned by his words. Uzumi is studying him closely. His eyes seem to soften.

"What is your rank in ZAFT, Mr. Joule?" he asks.

"I am an Ensign," he replies.

"What did you study at the academy?" Uzumi asks.

"Tactical, sir," he speaks.

"I have spoken with several advisors," Uzumi begins. "None of them could present me with a plan quite as thorough as yours. You impress me, Mr. Joule."

"Thank you, sir." Yzak responds. "If we want to get a fleet into space, we have to start now. You'll want Miss Attha to launch somewhere in between. If she launches first, there's a chance she might be engaged by an enemy fleet without backup. The Earth Alliance will be watching your Mass Driver. They will begin attacking once they realize that you're retreating into space. You'll need to have ground forces and Mobile Suits to keep the Atlantic Fleet at bay until your fleet has been successfully launched."

The table goes quiet again. Kira's seems completely stunned, but he does not argue.

"I say we try this strategy," Murrue leans back into her chair and crosses her arms. "Unless we accept

Gilbert Durandal's offer for a ZAFT alliance, we won't survive with just two ships."

Mu laces his fingers behind his head. "It's the best plan we have so far. I'm game."

"I think we should try it, dad," Cagalli encourages.

"It's the best chance we have," Uzumi agrees. "All of you are on standby. We'll start sending ships into space ASAP. Flay, you may continue to use the Astray once you reach space. I want you with near my daughter until then. Mr. Joule, I'll have Juri assign you to a new Mobile Suit. All of you are dismissed."

Flay walks by Yzak's side as they exit the room. A rush seems to come over her. She's always respected Yzak, but what she had just witnessed was exceptional. Cagalli darts in front of both of them.

"That was awesome!" she says. "You should come with us, Yzak."

"I have to," Yzak says. "There are only two ways I can leave Orb - through your Mass Driver or in Earth Alliance captivity."

A bright smile forms of Flay's lips. "You're coming with us?"

She practically tackles him as she throws her arms around him. Yzak steadies them both before they fall to the floor.

"Like I said, I have to," he replies.

Flay nudges her face into his chest. "I'm so glad!"


	26. Into the Skies

_**AN:** This chapter will finish the Orb arch and lead into the final arch of this fic. I can't believe I'm almost finished. This started out as a pointless fluff fic, but evolved into something far different than I expected. I got to say I really did like developing both characters and taking them into an entirely new direction. I loved developing the battle scenes and just creating new conflict. As always thanks for your comments and insight! I always love hearing from you guys._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Into the Skies_

There's this anticipation he feels as Juri Wu Nein escorts him to the hangar. Yzak's nerves feel as if they are on fire. The Astray model really made him miss Duel. He had self-destructed the Duel with the intention of killing Kira. Yet, Kira somehow still lives. Yzak's chest burns at the thought of Kira. He wants to know how he obtained the Freedom and who developed it in the first place.

Yzak enters the hangar to see a jet set on a runway. His brow furrows. He had expected a mobile suit, not a boxy, black and grey rebuild of the Skygrasper models. Juri steps towards the jet and gestures to it. "This is our rebuild of the Duel GAT-X Model. We've named it the Duel Mk. II. It has two separate forms - one build after the Earth Alliance's Skygrasper and a Mobile Suit combat mode."

Yzak steps forward. It will take some getting use to, but it seems leagues ahead of the mass produced Astray Unit. Yzak steps to the ladder and climbs inside the cockpit. He switches on the power supply and watches the main screen come to life. Juri adjusts her pink rimmed glasses as she looks up to him. Her hair is waving due to the mobile suits roaring engines.

"Mr. Joule!" she's screaming over the sound of the jet engines. "I hope that you are able to join us on the Kusanagi! Good luck out there!"

The top to the cockpit lowers. Yzak focuses his eyes forward. He hasn't ever taken off in a jet since his first weeks at the academy. Yzak tries to go through the steps in his head before shifting the joysticks forward. He glances out towards the runway before moving the jet forward. He shifts the jet forward and soars down the runway until it hits 155 miles per hour. He pulls back on the joysticks and the jet soars up into the air.

Yzak grins to himself as he looks at the main screen. He can see the coastline from a bird's eye view. Orb really does look amazing from above. His eyes catch the Atlantic Fleet in Orb waters. Strike Daggers on sleds are launching from carriers. Yzak eyes a red button at the top that says M.S. in black ladders. He presses the button to transform. The jet jerks slightly as the clunky top pieces move toward the bottom. The center of his jet shifts upright until the cockpit is completely formed. _Actually_ , Yzak swears he saw something like this in a cartoon he use to watch with Dearka when they were attending grade school.

Dearka's face appears on the comm screen. "That was fucking awesome dude!"

Yzak glances at the Buster hovering on a sled just in front of the Duel Mk. II. It takes him a moment to realize that the Duel is actually remaining in flight despite the lack of a sled. It would seem that Orb has managed to make sufficient updates to their newest models.

Yzak sees various missiles fire from the Atlantic Fleet. He shifts the Mk. II upward to dodge the sea of missiles dropping to the ground forces. Explosions erupt from on the ground as several Astray models blow to pieces. Yzak studies the specs on the main screen. The Mk. II is equipped with railguns on its shoulders, but he readies his beam rifle instead. Railguns will not be needed to take down a few Strike Daggers, and he'd rather conserve as much battery life as he can.

A swarm of Strike Daggers are heading straight to the Archangel with a bird-like GAT-X model leading the pack. Buster floats on its sled towards the Archangel and begins to fire its upon the battalion of Mobile Suits. Yzak follows firing at several of the Strike Dagger models. Each shot is a direct hit and the Strike Daggers drop like flies. The black bird-like GAT-X model shifts into its Mobile Suit mode and sends a mace like weapon towards the Mk. II. Yzak shifts to the side, barely dodging the mace. Two Strike Daggers are firing at him, causing his mobile suit to shake from the force of their attack. Dearka manages to hit one of the attacking Strike Daggers and Yzak counters the other Strike Dagger with his rifle.

Yzak sees a blast launch from the mouth of the black GAT-X model. He shifts to the left, the blast grazing one of the legs. He grits his teeth. It would seem that this pilot is also a Coordinator just like the other Earth Alliance pilot. Yzak tries to wrap his head around it. Kira's intentions might have been odd, but to have two or more pilots that are Coordinators fighting for the Earth Alliance? It just doesn't add up. They can't be Naturals, can they?

He aims his railguns at the black GAT-X model. It raises it's shield canon in an attempt to guard itself. The blast from the railguns blows through the shield and blows its arm off. Several Strike Daggers swarm in front of the GAT-X model as it shifts into its bird-like form and retreats. Buster is fire shots at the Strike Daggers as the Archangel aids by opening fire on the enemy Mobile Suits.

Yzak notices Freedom off in the distance. A turquoise and a green GAT-X model are both overwhelming the Freedom Gundam with a swarm of Strike Daggers. The Freedom reverse and spreads its wings to burst out an array of attacks. Several of the Strike Daggers are destroyed, but the GAT-X models dodge effortlessly. Yzak clenches his jaw. He really doesn't want to help the former Strike pilot, but…

"Dearka…" Yzak says through the group comm channel. "I'm going to go save Kira's ass. Stay by the Archangel. I'll launch into space with the Kusanagi instead."

"I'll see you on the other side," Dearka says.

Yzak shifts the Mk. II forward to charge the turquoise GAT-X model. He aims the rail gun and blows through bazooka that's taking aim at the Freedom. The turquoise GAT-X model turns to Yzak and aims its railguns. Yzak shifts to the side to evade the attack.

"Kira…" he says. "We need to go! There isn't much time left!"

Several more Strike Dagger units are floating towards them. To continue to fight at this point would be futile. Yzak shifts the Mk. II back into its Skygrasper mode and shifts it forward at top speed in the direction of the mass driver. The Freedom is following along its side. Yzak is dodging oncoming beams from the GAT-X models and Strike Daggers. His entire body tenses. His eyes see the Kusanagi launching from the Mass Driver. He shifts the jet upwards, trying to catch up. He's so close. The Freedom catches the end of the Kusanagi and holds its hand out to him. Yzak shifts back into the mobile suit model and reaches out to grab onto the Freedom. He grips on the Kusanagi and releases a heavy breathe.

Yzak hails the Kusanagi to see Cagalli's on the small comm screen. "Thank goodness! You both made it!"

Her excitement seems to fade. Yzak sees a huge explosion coming from his main camera. The Mass Driver blows to pieces, but also Morgenroete?

"No…!" Cagalli screams. "DAD NO!"

The comm screen cuts out as the Kusanagi pushes through the Earth's atmosphere. The cockpit of his mobile suit feels as if it's sitting on the surface of the sun. Yzak feels sweat drench his body and is half-tempted just to remove his helmet to get some air. He leans back into the seat and shuts his eyes as the cockpit rocks back and forth.

What happens after this? Can he convince Orb to take his mother's offer at an alliance? Why was Uzumi so stubborn to decline aid from ZAFT? Then, there is the situation with the Clynes. What had compelled Siegel Clyne to go against ZAFT and drag his daughter down with him? It just seems so out of character for Siegel Clyne to antagonize anyone.

He feels this weightless feeling as gravity seems to have lost its pull. His eyes open to see a black void and a sea of stars. The Kusanagi is moving towards the rest of Orb's fleet with the Archangel by its side. Yzak releases his hold from the Kusanagi and moves the Mk. II into the hangar. He sets it inside in a dock and pulls his helmet off. He opens the hatch and floats through the hangar. It's nice being able to move so freely through a hangar in zero gravity. He sees Kira floating out of the Freedom and towards him.

"Thanks for your help out there," he says.

Yzak tenses as he turns his eyes away. "I was only doing what was necessary."

Yzak shifts away from Kira and floats down to the floor. Flay is floating towards him. She collides with him and wraps her arms around him. She buries her face into his chest as they float aimlessly through the hangar.

"I'm so glad you made it!" she exclaims.

He places his hand on the back of her head. "Of course, I was going to make it. The Earth Alliance pilots aren't that good."

"I know," she says. "But, I was still so scared!"

She looks up to him with a bright smile. It's actually nice to see her so truly happy in spite of all that she's been through. He's so use to the forced smiles and the downcast eyes she once wore on a day to day basis.

"I'm sorry about all of this," her smile seems to fade. "My dad is responsible for what happened at Orb, and now Cagalli's father is dead because of him. You and your mom were always right about him. I wanted to think that maybe people were exaggerating, but now I truly see."

She holds eye contact for only a second longer before her eyes shift downward. He can see that she's forcing herself not to cry. He can see that she's trying so hard to be strong, but how can she be strong when her own father had just made a threat on her life? He tightens one arm around her and brushes a stray hair from her eyes.

"Flay," he says. "You can't blame yourself for your father's actions."

"That's what Cagalli says," she says. "But, I still feel so responsible. It's just...all this time I had this thought that maybe he would change. I don't know what I was thinking. My father is... _evil_."

Her fingers clutch onto his shoulders as she rests her forehead against his chest. It's almost as if she's trying to hide from the world. He wishes he could tell her that her father is only misguided. He wishes he could tell her that maybe her father can still change. Yzak is too pragmatic. He's not going to feed her lies and have her swallow them. It will only hurt her more when she's faced with the truth.

"Maybe he won't change," he says. "But, you already have. His spiteful legacy will end with him."

Flay raises her eyes to him. She really loves him. Yzak can see it in his eyes. There's a part of him that is quite fond of her too. She's emotional and complicated. She's so completely opposite of the women he's been around all his life, but there's just something about her that he's drawn too. Maybe she's not the best mobile suit pilot. Maybe she doesn't have the political grace that some women seem to have. Yet, there's this strength about her that so many people seem to lack. People will go to the grave fighting for their family's ideals, but Flay is different. Flay was able to see through her father's own bigotry and has turned away from it.

He wraps his arms around her and holds her close to him. If her father finds another Mass Driver, he will follow Orb's Fleet straight through hell if he has to. He just hopes that Flay has the strength in her to handle what may come.


	27. Losing Grip

_**AN:** Sorry for the delayed update. I had several ideas on how to go about developing the final arc. I needed to really think on how to have this all come to an end before moving forward. I didn't want to neglect Athrun and I want to complete this with AsuCaga remaining endgame like it was in the show. Anyways, thanks for reading!_

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Losing Grip_

It feels so surreal to wake up in space and in a full sized room of all things. Flay's eyes readjust as she sits up in her bed. She remembers the cramped bunk that ZAFT assigned her. It felt more like a prison than a place of rest. Flay looks around the sizable room. The room was probably meant for an Orb Officer - possibly a low lieutenant. Cagalli clearly only offered her the room out of friendship.

The memory of Rau Le Creuset threatening her in her room comes to mind. Flay draws her legs close as she buries her face into her knees. He's been watching her every move and relaying the details to her father this whole time. Flay shivers. She reaches into a drawer for a pill dispenser. She takes two pills in her hand and swallows. Flay pulls the white blanket from her bed and wraps it around herself as if it were some sort of shield.

" _He's not here_ ," she whispers to herself as lays back down onto her bed. She wraps the white blanket around herself and curls into a small ball. The medication will kick in before long, and she'll feel almost normal again.

She tries to shut her eyes and force herself back to sleep. It's insane. Rau Le Creuset is this intrusive thought that forces himself in her mind. He haunts her in her own head when she's awake and follows her into her nightmares when she sleeps. Her only escape is the medicine she was prescribed after her meltdown in front of Cagalli. And, even her medicine, doesn't seem to working half the time.

If she could just take one more, maybe it would make it go away. _One or two_. It's above the prescribed dosage. _She shouldn't_. Rau Le Creuset's grin appears in her head. She lets out a soft cry as her hand reaches for the dresser drawer.

 _Buzz! Buzz!_

Flay snaps up from her bed at the sound of her comm ringing. She looks to her dresser drawer and her eyes dilate. She was actually going to abuse her medication. Flay wraps the blanket tighter around herself as guilt and self-loathing seem to consume her.

 _Buzz! Buzz!_

Flay holds her blanket around her and floats to the comm link attached to her door. She presses a button and whispers, " _Hello_ …"

"Flay…"

Yzak's voice comes through the comm. Flay places one hand against the wall. She presses the button to open the door to her room and closes it once he floats inside. His eyes find her pressed against the wall in just a blanket. He floats towards her, his hand pressing against a wall to steady himself.

Flay pulls the white blanket close to her. She should feel safe in a private room inside an Orb warship. Aside from Yuna, everyone onboard this ship seems to like her well enough, and it's not as if Yuna can actually do anything but give her the occasional dirty look.

"Are you okay?" Yzak looks to her.

Flay is pulled from her thoughts. She looks up to him and feigns a small smile. "I'm fine. I'm just getting use to being in space again."

Flay's blanket moves around her like a cape as she floats over to her closet. She grabs a set of clean clothes from her closet and releases the blanket as she changes into a pair of jeans, a simple t-shirt, a red jacket, and a pair of black boots. Flay grabs the blanket and folds it before setting it inside her closet. She goes to her dresser and retrieves a simple comb from the top drawer. She combs her hair out, neglecting to tie it into its usual half ponytail. She sets the comb back inside the dresser and floats towards Yzak.

It feels so different seeing him in a gray suit rather than his ZAFT uniform. She supposes that Orb wouldn't have a red uniform on hand for him to borrow, and it isn't as if he's about to wear a white uniform to match Cagalli's.

 _Buzz! Buzz!_

Flay lets out an irritated sigh as she floats to the comm link attached at her door. She presses aa button to answer, and Yuna's face appears on the small screen. "We can't find Mr. Joule. Will you find him for me? We need him on the bridge."

" _Why_?" Flay's tone is blunt and a bit rude.

" _Because_ …" Yuna's eyes narrow. "ZAFT vessels are approaching our fleet - one of them being on the Vesalius that you both served on."

" _Fine_ ," Flay snaps. "I'll go find him and tell him."

Flay shuts the comm link off. "Captain Ades may be the captain, but it's clear who holds all the power on the Vesallius."

"Do you actually think he'll attack us?" Yzak asks.

"I know he's going to attack us," Flay responds. "You'll have to talk to Athrun. He can use his connection to Patrick Zala to force Rau Le Creuset to stand down."

"Athrun won't listen," Yzak argues.

"Then, have Kira and Cagalli get through to him," Flay says. "They both seem to think highly of him. Can he really be so terrible?"

"So, you're on his side now?" Yzak's brow furrows.

"Oh my god, I'm not on his side, Yzak!" Flay argues. "It's just that Captain Ades is Rau Le Creuset's little bitch. He'll just do whatever Le Creuset tells him to do. Athrun cares about Kira. Maybe he'll actually actually listen."

A tense silence passes between them. Rau Le Creuset was behind the disaster in Alaska. He's leaked information about her and Yzak to her father. Rau Le Creuset had a plan for her - a plan that Flay unknowingly dismantled by speaking against her father on national television. At the time, her motivation was purely for survival. Flay remembers the regret she'd felt after that interview. She doesn't regret it anymore. Her father is exactly what Ezalia Joule had said he was, and by speaking against him on a public platform, she'd unintentional kept herself from Rau Le Creuset's plans for her.

"Le Creuset is up to something," Flay says aloud. "I don't know what it is, but I'm guessing we'll find out soon."

Yzak looks to her. "You told me he wanted to return you to your father. He may be able to send bits of information back and forth, but it's not like he has another direct link to George Allster. Whatever he had planned weeks ago is in the past."

Flay's eyes cast down to her feet. "I want to believe it, but _sometimes_...I'm just not so sure."

"I have to go to the bridge," Yzak says. "I'll probably have to speak with Rau Le Creuset face to face. If it makes you feel safer, you can stay here."

She doesn't want to hide, but it feels safer in her room. If Rau Le Creuset sees that she's survived Orb's siege, he might order her capture. "He can't know that I'm here, Yzak. Tell him I was evacuated. If he still has plans for me…"

Flay pictures herself cornered in Le Creuset's private quarters. He'll watch her closely this time and make sure she has no contact with anyone on the Vesalius. She's not as blind to the world as she once was, but she's also still a teenaged girl. Rau Le Creuset is the master of manipulation. Not only is he clever, but he has the bloodthirst to deliver on any insidious plot that hatches in his mind. Flay cannot beat him at his own game. The best she can do is hope to evade him until the war ends.

Her arms cross each other as her hands grip her shoulders. Her heart is racing as she pictures a grey mobile suit slicing the limbs off of her Astray. She sees the very same mobile suit take hold of what is left of her Astray in hand as it returns her to the Vesalius.

"Flay…"

Yzak pulls her close to him and holds her. Her breath is heavy as seems to drown in her own anxiety. He parts from her and looks to her.

"No one is going to tell Le Creuset you're here," Yzak says. "You're safe here."

"I'm not safe here," Flay whispers. "I'm not safe anywhere."

"I...have to go," Yzak says. "I am Ezalia Joule's son. Rau Le Creuset won't go so far as to jeopardize his position in ZAFT by opening fire on me. Look, I'll be back as soon as I clear this up, okay?"

Flay nods to him. Yzak looks to her one last time before exiting. Her arms wrap around herself as she curls into a small ball. She floats aimlessly through her room. She knows that Yzak's negotiations will fail and that the Orb Fleet will be forced into combat with ZAFT. She can hide in her room. It would be easier to die in her room. Flames would swallow her and she'd be nothing but space dust.

Flay sets her feet back onto the floor. She places one hand against the wall as she collects her thoughts. It would be so easy to have Cagalli, Yzak, and Kira fight on her behalf, but she's so far beyond that now. Flay slams her fist against the door panel. The door slides open with a swish. Flay floats out of the door in the direction of the hangar and doesn't dare look back.


	28. Providence

_**AN:**_ _There's a huge battle scene. I'm feeling like Yzak is outclassed with his mobile suit at this point, and I'm thinking of giving him an upgrade. I'm not sure how you guys feel about this. So, I'm open to all of your suggestions on giving him a ZGMF model. Let me know your thoughts._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _Providence_

Yzak floats into the bridge. He can see the ZAFT Fleet hovering in the void of space. It's confusing. His mother is aware that he was in Orb days ago. Why would ZAFT send a battalion of warships to meet with Orb? Orb is a neutral country. There's no sensible reason that ZAFT should be declare war on a country that is also now against the Earth Alliance. They should be attempting an alliance rather than antagonizing Orb.

The main communication screen flickers on to show the face of Commander Le Creuset. Yzak can vaguely see the ends of Rau Le Creuset's desk at the other side of his camera. _He's communicating with them privately?_ A long pause passes between them before Cagalli speaks. "Sir, I am Cagalli Yula Attha, daughter of Uzumi Nara Attha. Our country has declared war on the Earth Alliance just as yours has. We are not your enemy."

Yzak floats by Cagalli's side and looks up to Rau Le Creuset. "Commander…"

"Ensign Joule…"

That's _new_. Rau Le Creuset had once referred to him by his first name. It's almost like his new formality is a thinly veiled threat.

"Commander," Yzak says. "Miss Attha speaks the truth. Orb does not wish to engage ZAFT. If you'll allow me to speak with my mother…"

"Onboard the Kusanagi is the ZGMF-X10A Freedom," Rau Le Creuset says. "I have footage of this model engaging the Earth Alliance in combat."

"Sir, the Freedom Gundam aided us against the Earth Alliance Forces," Cagalli speaks. "I don't see how this is a problem for ZAFT."

"Normally, such a circumstance would not be a problem," Rau Le Creuset speaks. "But, the Freedom Gundam was stolen from our facilities by an unknown pilot aided by the PLANT fugitive Lacus Clyne."

"I was not aware," Cagalli says.

Rau Le Creuset grins. "Your father is responsible for creating weapons of war that were used in a war effort against ZAFT. You, Cagalli Yula Attha, have aided the Earth Alliance Forces and opened fire against ZAFT. Andrew Waldfeld's death is on your hands. Our leader has asked that you sign terms of surrender and asks that you turn all of your forces over to ZAFT."

" _Sir…_ " Yzak interjects. " _With all due respect_...Cagalli Yula Attha has aided both myself and Private Allster after both of us went MIA. Orb is by no means blameless in this war, but maybe we should actually bring Cagalli before the council and discuss this rationally."

"These are orders given to me directly from Patrick Zala, Ensign Joule," Commander Le Creuset says. "It's unfortunate that you and Flay Allster are Prisoners of War on the Kusanagi."

" _Are you insane?_ " Yzak says. "I'm not a prisoner of war. Orb has done nothing but offer aid to me since the destruction of the Strike."

"Maybe, you're not a prisoner of war, Yzak Joule," Rau Le Creuset says. "But, you will be written off as such after this battle is over. _How unfortunate._ Ezalia Joule will be devastated when she hears we could not save you."

The view screen switches off. Yzak feels his entire body go numb. _Flay knew_. He had underestimate Rau Le Creuset despite her warnings. He looks to Cagalli. "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!"

He exits the bridge and floats through the halls. His blood is hot as rage surges through him. He reaches the end of the hall and kicks of the corner, propelling himself through the vessel. Yzak can't seem to think straight. He'd always doubted Rau Le Creuset's leadership since landing on Earth, and he'd even believed that he was behind the colossal failure in Alaska. _This though?_ Perhaps he was foolish to believe that his mother's last name could protect him.

Yzak sees Kira floating to the Freedom Gundam in a pilot suit. He wants to blame Kira for bringing that machine to Orb, but without the Freedom, they might not have been successful in their retreat from Orb. He looks to Kira.

"ZAFT is attacking us," Kira says.

"Pft!" Yzak scoffs. "You act as if Cagalli has kept me clueless!"

"Are you with us?" Kira asks.

"Considering that my commanding officer just issued me a death threat, I have no choice but to fight with you," Yzak says.

Kira gives him one final look before entering the Freedom. Yzak floats towards the Mk. II Duel. How ironic that fate has forced him to fight alongside the Strike pilot? Yzak floats inside the Duel and presses the button to close the hatch. Yzak turns on the power supply, and he sees Kira's face appear on the comm screen.

"Good luck out there," Kira says.

Yzak shuts the comm screen off without so much as a word. This is the same person that killed Nicol. He must never forget that. The comm screen flashes on, but this time it's Flay.

"I was under the impression that you were going to stay inside the Kusanagi," Yzak says.

"I was, _but…_ " Flay pauses. "I can't just lay in my room and hope that everything is going to be okay."

"Be careful out there, Flay," Yzak says.

"You too," Flay says.

The comm link turns to static for mere seconds before Cagalli's face appears on the screen. She looks to him with fierce brown eyes. "Yzak, I apologize on behalf of Orb for dragging you into our conflict."

"No apologies necessary, Miss Attha," Yzak says. "This is the fault of ZAFT and Patrick Zala's leadership, not yours."

"It's all so strange," Cagalli's eyes become unfocused for a moment. "Athrun's father behind all of this."

"None of that matters," Yzak says. "Athrun Zala's loyalties are tied to Patrick Zala. Regardless of how you feel about him on a personal level, _his_ _father_ has authorized a black warrant on both of our heads and Patrick Zala has sent Rau Le Creuset as his personal executioner."

"You're right," Cagalli's eyes become focused again. "Flay and Kira have just launched. We're ready when you are."

Yzak moves the Mk. II to the launch pad. Cagalli's faces disappears from the screen and is replaced with a brown haired man in a red jacket. "GAT-X102-2 Duel on standby. All systems green. Course clear. You're ready for take off."

Yzak presses the joysticks forward and launches the Duel into the void of space. He can see several updated version of the Ginn models with several Ginn suits floating by their sides. The comm screen flashes on and Erica Simmons' face appears on screen. "We've identified the newer ZAFT models as the GuAIZ model. ZAFT has incorporated concepts to the model that they obtained from the GAT-X series."

"How capable are they in combat?" Yzak asks.

"The data I've obtained isn't concrete, but I'm gathering that they can hold their own against the GAT-X line," Erica Simmons says.

Yzak scans the main screen for the Aegis. It's nowhere to be scene. His eyes scan a large grey mobile suit with a backpack attached to it. "There's another unknown mobile weapon on screen? Do you have details?"

Erica's gaze shifts to the side for a moment. She returns to her gaze forward. "I, unfortunately, do not have data on that suit. I apologize, Mr. Joule."

Could it be _Athrun?_ Yzak shifts the Mk. II towards the grey mobile suit. He hails the Gundam, but it does not answer. Several small objects eject from its backpack.

"Yzak!" he hears Mu La Flaga call to him through the group channel. "The mobile suit is piloted by Rau Le Creuset. He's using a funnel system. The pieces that just ejected are all weapons that he's about to use against you!"

Yzak shifts backwards and watches as a stream of laser blasts connect with where the Duel once was. The funnels seem to move through the air like tiny flies. Yzak keeps the Duel moving, trying to to stop in one place. The Strike hovers close. It aims its beam rifle and fires several shots at Rau Le Creuset's mobile suit. The Strike doesn't even phase the Gundam.

"It's armored like the Freedom Gundam," Mu La Flaga says. "We're going to have to work together if we're going to have any chance against this thing."

Yzak eyes scan the fleet for the Aegis. There's still no sign of it. _Where is Athrun?_ Yzak hovers in the opposite direction of the Strike. Both of them fire on the Mobile Suit, but Rau Le Creuset effortlessly dodges both of their attacks.

Yzak sees Flay's pink Astray firing on a Ginn model. It seems that Rau Le Creuset is oblivious that she's on the battlefield with him. _Good_. Yzak refocuses and aims his railguns at Le Crueset's Gundam while the Strike spams beam attacks to distract him. Rau Le Creuset almost dodges the railgun shots, but is hit in the shoulder. Yzak scans the Gundam and sees that he's managed to make a dent. At least, it's not entirely unstoppable.

Kira is trying to make his way towards them, but he's swarmed with several GuAiz models. The Vesalius continues to spam attacks towards the Freedom. This was Rau Le Creuset's strategy - to isolate the Freedom while he takes picks them off one by one. He'd always saw Rau Le Creuset as a terrible strategist, but now he's realizing that Rau Le Creuset's failures were all made purposely.

 _All this time…_

His poor decisions have put them in danger, and his decision to put Athrun in charge is the reason Nicol is dead. _But, why?_ Yzak shifts the Duel and aims his railguns. Rau Le Creuset dodges the blasts with ease. He'd never imagined that Rau Le Creuset was this good of a pilot. He's underestimated him this whole time. All of Flay's fears, suspicions, and warnings - they were all so completely justified.

Goosebumps rise on his skin. He'd been so hot blooded that he'd neglected to dress in a pilot suit. If the Duel Mk. II is destroyed, he will die with it. He feels like a damned fool. Yzak tries to focus as the funnels seem to surround him. He draws his beam saber and charges forward to throw Rau Le Creuset off. He manages to cut through the Gundam's knee. Most of his weapons may not be able to destroy it, but nothing can save Rau Le Creuset if he can drive his beam saber directly through the cockpit.

Rau Le Creuset draws his beam saber and meets his next attack. Yzak notices the funnels floating towards him and reverses the Duel Mk. II as fast as he possibly can. He barely dodges the series of beams that emit from the small weapons. This fight seems so... _rigged_. It's almost as if there's no possible way to win. One of the funnels floats directly in front of the Duel. Yzak's eyes dilate. _He's really going to die_.

The funnel blows pieces as a boomerang swipes through it. Yzak's heart is racing. A second boomerang cuts through the Gundam's left arm, causing its shield to be dislodged from it. Yzak drops his shield and grabs the new shield floating in the void of space. If this Gundam is upgraded, it's shield should be too.

Yzak places the shield in front of himself as the funnels aim at him. He feels a bit of force, but the shield holds against the attack. A red mobile suit comes into view. It aims both canons at the Gundam. Rau Le Creuset moves left, but the canon manages to knick the backpack. The Strike fires suppressive fire at Rau Le Creuset's mobile suit. Several GuAiz models are at his side, opening fire on the their new mobile suit as Rau Le Creuset retreats. Once Rau Le Creuset is at a safe distance, the GuAiz models retreat with him.

The Vesalius fires several signal flares into the void of space. _They're retreating_. Yzak eyes a pink war ship on his main screen. Orb has brought reinforcements? Why hadn't Cagalli told him this?

The red mobile suit is hailing him. Yzak answers the hail almost instantly. Athrun's face appears on the comm link. Yzak gasps as his entire body goes numb. Had he defected ZAFT with his fiance?

"Yzak…"

" _Athrun...why?"_

"I'll explain later," Athrun says. "Lacus Clyne wants you to speak with you as soon as possible."

"I…" Yzak's completely caught off guard. "Of course...is she with you?"

"She's waiting in the Eternal," Athrun explains. "Follow me."


	29. The Eternal

_**AN:**_ _So, I think a lot of the chapters are going to be through Yzak's perspective since I like writing battles from his POV better than Flay's. There will still be some Flay chapters though. So, don't worry. Anyways, I'm fairly happy where all of this finally landed. Thank you all again for reading. I can't believe I'm almost finished. I feel sort of sad, and that's probably why I haven't been updating so frequently. Part of me doesn't want it to end, but alas, I must finish._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _The Eternal_

Yzak opens the hatch to the Duel Mk. II. He floats out of his Gundam and sifts freely through the Eternal's hangar. If the Freedom and Eternal were stolen at two separate points in time, why hadn't ZAFT put their facilities on lockdown after the Freedom was stolen? Patrick Zala is a damn fool. He must be delirious. He must have schemed against Siegel all this time, and now Patrick Zala is scheming behind Yzak's mother's back too. Not only that, but he's so trusting of Rau Le Creuset even after his colossal failures. Patrick Zala is privy to more intel than Yzak could even begin to imagine. Shouldn't he recognize that Rau Le Creuset is working against him?

It's all so maddening. If Yzak were chairmen, he would see through everything. He would protect his people so much better. Perhaps when he is thirty five he will be Chairman. He tries to picture him seated at desk with a picture him, a wife, and a son. It almost seems like a vivid dream.

" _Yzak!_ "

Flay's voice breaks his thoughts. He shifts to face Flay. Her hair is flowing freely through air as she reaches out to him. Yzak takes her hand in his as they drift to the bottom of the hangar.

"You didn't return to the Kusanagi? Why?" Yzak asks.

"I heard Athrun through the group channel," Flay says. "Lacus is here. I wanted to see her again."

"Yzak…" Athrun is floating towards them. "And... _Flay?_ "

"Athrun…" Flay voice is timid when she speaks.

Kira floats towards the group. "Athrun…"

"Kira…"

There's a pause between all four of them. Yzak looks to Athrun and asks, "You and Lacus defected together?"

"That's not exactly how it happened," Athrun says. "Lacus and her father defected first. I was hesitant, believing that she was a traitor. I might have made up for it now, but...we aren't exactly engaged anymore."

Yzak looks to Athrun. He's always been so wishy-washy. "When you make decisions, you need to stand by them. Whether it be for your own person career or even with people in your life. You're always conflicted. I never wanted to turn on ZAFT, Athrun. I was never given a choice, but I would have stayed loyal had your father not sent Rau Le Creuset to execute me."

"I apologize on behalf of my father for his actions," Athrun says.

"Don't," Yzak says. "You saved my life today. So we're on even ground. That is enough of an apology for me."

Yzak extends his hand out to Athrun. Athrun takes his hand in his and they shake. All of his animosity toward Athrun seems to evaporate in an instant. His scar and Nicol's death still linger in the back of his mind, but he's let go of the blame he used to place on Athrun. Rau Le Creuset is to blame for all of it. He was the one giving faulty orders and playing both sides.

"It's good to see you again, Yzak," Athrun says.

"It's good to see you too, Athrun," Yzak says.

Athrun shifts to Kira. "Lacus is...uh, excited to see you."

"Is she?" Kira's eyes seem to dilate as a smile forms on his lips.

Yzak wants to roll his eyes. _How are they even friends_? Dearka and Yzak would never dare to even think of dating the same girl. Isn't there some unwritten guy code where you don't make eyes at your best friend's fiancé? Yzak will probably never understand Athrun or Kira.

"Follow me," Athrun pauses as he eyes Flay. "You can come too, Flay. I'm sure Lacus would want to see you again."

The three of them float freely through the halls of the Eternal as they follow Athrun. Yzak eyes the detailing on the ship as he sifts through the halls. It feels so vast and empty.

"They we're going to give Captain Gladys this ship," Flay says. "She really must have been popular in ZAFT."

Athrun looks back to Flay. "Captain Gladys was going to lead the Eternal? That's... _odd_."

"She was decent enough," Yzak defends.

"I'm not saying anything against her," Athrun says. "I'm just unsure why she was their first choice."

"I guess we'll never know," Yzak responds.

They stop before a door. Athrun places his hand against the wall to slow his pace. He presses the button on the comm link and says, "Lacus, it's me. Kira, Yzak...and Flay are here with me."

The door swishes open and Athrun floats inside with Kira following after him. Yzak and Flay float inside the room to see Lacus, Andrew Waltfeld, Martin Dacosta, and unexpectedly Doctor Frazier.

"Yzak...Flay," Doctor Frazier says. "It's good to see you again."

"Doctor Frazier!" a bright smile forms on Flay's face. "I thought you were still serving Rau Le Creuset."

"I started to mistrust Rau Le Creuset's decisions when he returned from Panama," Doctor Frazier says. "The man had taken an Earth Alliance boy hostage, but oddly enough kept him in his private quarters as a secretary rather than keeping him in the brig. It felt so weird for him to always be hovering over such a young kid, but never allowing him to interact with the rest of ZAFT."

"Sai Argyle…" Athrun says.

"Sai...is alive?" Flay face seems to turn pale.

"Your ex-fiancé still lives," Athrun says. "Rau Le Creuset took him hostage during Operation Spitbreak."

"He's my replacement," all eyes turn to Flay as her eyes drift to the floor. "Rau Le Creuset has a plan for me that involved my father. My father and I had a falling out so he needed someone new to serve that purpose."

"He asked me about you once," Athrun looks to Flay. "Commander Le Creuset and I were boarding a jet back to the PLANTs. Rau Le Creuset had left me with him for mere minutes."

"What did he say?"

"It's hard to say who put the idea in his head," Athrun says. "But, he thought that I had cultivated some kind of intimate relationship with you. He truly believed you'd left him for some Coordinator."

"Obviously I didn't have some affair with you," Flay says. "We hardly ever talked. I'm sorry, Athrun. I was so terrified of your father that I tried to avoid you."

"It's fine," Athrun says. "My father had asked that I had limited contact with you, because of your father's connections with Blue Cosmos. I was a bit weary of you myself."

"Rau Le Creuset must have manipulated him," Flay says. "He wants to get into Sai's head by making him feel inferior. That's why Sai asked you all that stuff."

"It doesn't matter. I told Sai I already had a fiancé," Athrun says. "It didn't stop him for asking if I knew who you dumped him for. The guy was losing his damned mind."

Doctor Frazier's gaze shifts from Flay to Yzak. He lowers his head and seems to sigh to himself. Yzak's mind flashes to his time with Flay in the medbay. It seems as if Doctor Frazier has the answer Sai was so desperately looking for.

"Miri and I talked," Kira says. "He'd tried to shoot a prisoner of war, Dearka I think was his name. I had hoped maybe he'd find some peace of mind in time, but now I don't know what to say anymore."

Yzak looks to Kira. "He did what?!"

"Apparently, he tried to shoot Dearka after Tolle died," Kira answers.

Lacus clears her throat and rises from her seat. A pink mechanic object flaps its ears as it floats near her. She glances to Kira before she turns her attention to the rest of her audience. "None of this information surprises me about Sai Argyle. He was...a very damaged person. Rau Le Creuset's interest in him does worry me though."

"None of us are unfortunate enough to be under his command anymore," Yzak says. "We're safe for now, but he'll be back before long."

Andrew Waltfeld eyes Yzak. "Your mother doesn't know about any of this?"

"No," Yzak glances to Lacus. "And, your father? He's not here."

Lacus' eyes are downcast. She releases a heavy breath before saying, "My father isn't alive anymore. Patrick Zala saw to that."

Yzak pauses for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry for your loss, Lacus."

"We need to find a place to hideout," Dacosta changes the subject.

"I suggest the L4 colony," Andrew Waltfeld says. "It will give us time to regroup and devise a plan."

"We'll need to run all of this by Cagalli," Yzak says. "She leads the Orb Fleet in her father's place."

" _Cagalli…_?" Athrun's eyes glance to Yzak.

Yzak is aware that they both met before, but now he's curious to what might have transpired between them. Yzak looks to Athrun and says, "She's on the Kusanagi currently."

"Well, we have the Freedom, the Justice, and the Fury models at our disposal," Waltfeld says. "We already have pilots for the Justice and Freedom. I imagine the you could pilot the Fury, Yzak."

Yzak can't resist the half smile that forms. "I'd be honored. Thank you."

Dacosta floats towards Yzak. "I'll show you to your quarters."

Yzak nods and follows Dacosta out of the meeting room. He glances at the vacant white halls. It feels so quiet on the Eternal - _almost peaceful_. He turns a corner along with Dacosta. They stop at a door. Dacosta presses the button to open the door. Yzak floats inside to a large room. It's similar to Rau Le Creuset's room. There's a sizable meeting room with and a separate room to sleep in. This room was clearly intended for a high leveled ZAFT officer.

"There should be a uniforms in the bedroom closet," Dacosta instructs. "I'll send for you when Cagalli arrives."

Dacosta exits the room, leaving Yzak to himself. He floats inside the bedroom and retrieves a red uniform from the closet. He changes out of his white suit and into the red ZAFT uniform. It feels _normal_ to be in a uniform again.

 _Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!_

Had Dacosta forgot him to inform him of something? Yzak exits the bedroom and floats into the meeting room. He opens the door without even thinking. Flay floats inside the room now dressed in a red ZAFT uniform shirt and black skirt.

"You changed your uniform?" Yzak says.

"Lacus gave it to me," Flay says. "I feel like wearing a red shirt is a big fuck you to Rau Le Creuset. He thought I wouldn't live this long, and here I am still somehow alive."

"It looks good on you," the compliment leaves his lips before he can even think.

Flay is beaming up at him. Her blue eyes seem fixed on his. He'd told himself back when Flay first joined ZAFT that he wouldn't get back involved with her. A part of him resists, trying to stay true to military protocol. Yzak supposes none of that really matters anymore. It's not as if the Eternal follows ZAFT. _Nothing matters_. Not since Patrick Zala turned on him and tried to murder him.

Yzak leans down and kisses her. All of his frustrations and fears seem to disappear if only for a moment. His hands wraps around her waist as he loses himself in her. Flay parts from him and looks up to him. Her soft blue eyes are bright with such sincerity. She rests her head against his chest as the float through his quarters aimlessly. Yzak takes her hand in his and guides her to his bedroom. If anything good came out of this war, it is her. _Flay_ \- who was willing to let go of everything she knew to do what was right. _Flay_ \- who could have so easily been drawn into her father's darkness, but pulled herself away from it. He might even say he's fallen for this complicated, beautiful girl.


	30. The Dominion

_**AN:**_ _I apologize for the delayed update. I just started my MBA degree program and returning to college for my masters is such an undertaking. I'm almost done with this fic. So, I know that I will be able to see it to the end. I promise a confrontation between Yzak and Le Creuset not in this chapter but the next chapter. I'm trying to keep this fic more grounded in realism. So, I'm going to drop the_ perfect coordinator _crap they pulled in the original series. And, I hope to make the Orb Fleet's struggle more realistic instead of relying so much on Kira being OP like the show did. Thanks again to all of you for your reviews follows and favorites. I appreciate hearing from you all._

 _ **Behind Enemy Lines**_

 _The Dominion_

War - at first - felt almost glorious. Yzak would never say he welcomed it, but he had thrived in it. Combat seemed to come naturally to him. He felt as if he was taking revenge for those that died in Junius 7. Yzak is not sure what to think anymore.

Yzak watches through a window as the Eternal docks inside the L4 colony. He feels as if he's in some sort of limbo. Rau Le Creuset tried to kill him yesterday so that the truth could be buried in the depths of space. Yzak feels betrayed. He still believes in the old ZAFT - the ZAFT that wasn't so corrupt.

 _Perhaps it always was_. That would be the logical conclusion, wouldn't it? Yzak feels this resistance to that small notion. There's this part of him that needs ZAFT to be something worth fighting for. His fingernails dig into his palms as his jaw tightens.

"Yzak…"

Athrun's voice breaks him from his thoughts. Yzak turns to face Athrun. Yzak's fists unclench as he forces himself to relax.

"I'm going to try and reason with my father," Athrun says.

"You know that is the stupidest idea I've ever heard, right?" Yzak snaps.

"I thought you might say something like that," Athrun smiles meekly for only a moment.

"Why not just go, then?" Yzak asks. "It's not like you neither need nor care for my approval."

"Kira is going to escort me," Athrun replies. "I need you to hold everything down until I get back."

"You're both leaving _now_ at such a crucial time?" Yzak turns his gaze away from Athrun. "Your father isn't going to change his mind. This is all so stupid."

"It's strange," Athrun's voice thins. "Flay told me the same thing."

"Well, she has experience in the psychotic dad department," Yzak says. "You might want to take her advice."

"I know I should," Athrun says. "But, I won't be able to live with myself if I don't at least try."

"Do what you want. I can't stop you," Yzak's tone softens as he turns back to Athrun. "But, if you see my mother, please tell her the truth."

"I'll do what I can," Athrun says. " _Please_...watch after Cagalli while I'm gone."

"I'll do what I can," Yzak says with a half-smile.

Athrun returns his smile before turning away from him. Yzak watches as Athrun floats down the hallways before turning away in the opposite direction. There may still be hope to fix the corruption in ZAFT. If Athrun can just tell his mother the truth...

Yzak floats through the halls. Flay comes into view with Cagalli floating near her. Flay is sitting on a bench as she looks out into the window. Her gaze turns and her eyes meet his. A smile forms on her lips. She shifts off of the bench and floats towards him.

"Athrun is leaving," Flay says.

"So I've heard," Yzak replies.

"I don't like it," Flay says. "Patrick Zala isn't going to change. I tried to warn him…"

Her hands latch onto his shoulders. She lowers her eyes as if she's trying to shield how she feels. "What if my father catches up to us? I keep thinking…"

"Flay…" Yzak breathes. "It's hard to say what is going to happen. You can't plan anything on _what-ifs_."

She looks up to him and whispers, "I know that…"

Cagalli floats next to them and places her hand on Flay's shoulder. Flay looks to Cagalli and then downturns her gaze to the floor. She seems so exhausted. Maybe not from lack of sleep, but from the war itself. She's been burned again and again from her father to her superior officer. Her first kill was someone she knew - someone she called a friend.

 _The war needs to end._ The death toll can only climb higher. If he could just speak with mother... _maybe…_

Yzak looks to Flay. Her eyes flicker up to his. There a mixture fierceness and sorrow in her greyish blue eyes. She's a fighter that doesn't quite believe in herself. She's such a contradiction of so many things - a Natural in ZAFT uniform. A soldier but also an emotional casualty. Flay is trapped in such a ruthless war that she can barely survive in.

The room around him dims as sirens blare. Yzak is so used to war now that he's always prepared for anything. Flay tries to mask her fear, but it's so plain in her face. She's so tired of fighting. Anyone can see it just by glancing in her eyes for only a moment.

" _All hands level one battle stations!"_

"I have to go," Yzak says.

Flay presses her lips together and tries to keep her features plain. "I'm going with you."

"In the Astray?" Yzak asks. "It's not match for the Providence or the Earth Alliance GAT-X models."

"No," Flay shakes her head. "In the Mk. II."

He's never tried to stop her before, but now he's so scared that she'll be reduced to nothing but human debris. He can't stop her. When she enlisted, she made a choice to put life on the line for _something._ He isn't quite sure why she enlisted to begin with. Maybe she doesn't even know herself.

Yzak looks down to her. "Just...be careful okay."

They hold each other's gaze for a moment longer. Flay nods to him. "I'll do my best."

The two of them turn away from Cagalli and float through the vacant halls of the Eternal. It feels so empty compared to any other vessel Yzak had served on. He likes it better this way. There's a certain measure of privacy he feels on the Eternal that he never felt on any ZAFT ship.

They make their ways through the halls until they reach the hangar. Yzak floats up to a black Gundam model with large black wings. _The Fury_. His entire body tingles with excitement. He's about to pilot the most powerful mobile suit he's even gotten his hands on, and Yzak cannot deny that there is a certain level of anticipation that comes with this notion.

Yzak floats inside the hatch and turns on the power supply. There's a circular screen in the center of the cockpit. The dashboard screens light up, and Yzak can only feel his excitement build. He presses the button the close the hatch to Fury Gundam.

The comm screen flickers on to show Dacosta's face on the comm monitor. "We are being engaged by Earth Alliance forces."

"I suppose it's better than the Vesalius," Yzak says.

" _Maybe_ …" Dacosta says. "Be careful out there."

"I'll do my best," Yzak replies.

Yzak moves the Fury to the launchpad. Dacosta looks to him from his comm screen. "ZGMF-X14A Fury on standby. All systems green. Course clear. You're ready for take off, Ensign Joule."

The Fury launches through the L4 colony and directly out into space. Yzak looks to his main monitor to see the Dominion along with several ships. George Allster has found them. Yzak notices the Duel Mk. II by his side. _Flay_. She's going head to head against her father's fleet again. How much torment is this girl willing to take?

He's receiving a hail from... _the Dominion?_ Yzak accepts the hail expecting to hear George Allster through the comm, but a woman's voice speaks instead. "This is the Earth Alliance Forces mobile assault ship the Dominion. Archangel...can you hear me? Your ship is listed as a rebel ship, and therefore we demand your immediate and unconditional surrender. Should you fail to abide by these orders, we will be forced to use deadly force. It's been awhile Murrue Ramius…"

"It has, Natarle Badgiruel," Captain Ramius' voice comes through the channel.

An image appears on Yzak's communications monitor. The image of a dark haired woman dressed in a white uniform is clear on his comm monitor. This hail is clearly meant for each ship and mobile suit to see. _Because of Flay_. Her father must believe she's still alive and intends for her to hear this. Yzak's jaw tightens as he growls.

"I regret that we have to meet under these circumstances," Badgiruel continues.

"Yes, same here," Ramius says.

"I have been briefed on what you went through in Alaska," Badgiruel continues. "However, I strongly suggest that you surrender and speak with top ranking military officials. We are of the understanding that Flay Allster is among your fleet, are my assumptions correct?"

Ramius responds with only silence.

"Your silence confirms my suspicions," Badgiruel says. "I am under the assumption that Miss Allster was a prisoner of war and forced to join ZAFT. She was forced to speak words in an interview that she never intended to create suspicion against her father. The Earth Alliance is understanding that she was a mere hostage and made hard choices to survive. Upon your surrender, I assure you that she will be treated with dignity."

"Natarle…" Ramius begins. "Thank you. But, we will not surrender. This is not just about what happened in Alaska. All of us have doubts about the Earth Alliance and their methods. We will not surrender nor will we return to the Earth Alliance.

A voice laughs in the background. "George, isn't this quite embarrassing? The Captain you selected to run this ship cannot even manage a simple negotiation. The Archangel is a rogue vessel and George Allster's daughter is a traitor. Both must be met with force."

"Mr. Azrael..." both George Allster and Natarle say with sheer shock.

"Calamity, Forbidden, Raider," Azrael says. "Launch! Today we will destroy the indestructible Archangel!"

The comm screen dies as the three Earth Alliance GAT-X models change towards the Orb fleet. Yzak tenses. Kira and Athrun really did pick the _best_ time for their little side quest to ZAFT.

" _Buster...Strike stay back to protect the Archangel,_ " Ramius' voice calls through the comm link.

Yzak's comm link flickers on to show Waltfeld's scarred face. "Yzak...Flay, we need both of you to keep GAT-X models from reaching our fleet. The Astray models will protect the Orb Fleet from the Strike Dagger models."

The comm screen flickers off. Yzak sees the Duel Mk. II in front of his monitor. Yzak tries to imagine opening fire on a warship carrying his mother, and he's not sure if under any circumstance he would be able to go to war against his mother. He hails Flay.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asks.

"I'm...fine," she says. "I've already been through this in Orb."

Yzak focuses his eyes forward to see several missiles aiming for a piece of debris. The rock shatters into several pieces that shroud their fleet. _Shit_. Yzak moves around several pieces of floating debris evading each one with ease. Yzak eyes the Kusanagi on his monitor. It seems to be trapped between pieces of debris as well as a tether line connected to a large piece of rock. If Orb's flag ship sinks with the majority of its leaders, morale will sink. The Kusanagi is too important to lose.

" _Shit!_ " Yzak swears. "Flay, we need to free the Kusanagi from its restraints!"

"Yes, sir," she says. "I'm on my way."

Yzak attempts to shift the Fury Gundam forward, but is struck by Raider's mace. _Fuck_. "Flay, I'll meet you at the Kusanagi. I gotta get this bitch off my ass first."

"I'll see you when you get there," Flay says.

Yzak shifts backwards and aims his beam rifle at the Raider. It dodges each blast. Damn, this guy is fast. Yzak fires the vulcans towards the Raider, managing to push it backwards. Yzak shifts backwards. Several missiles are firing from the Dominion and make a direct hit towards the Archangel's starboard.

" _Fuck, fuck, fuck!_ " Yzak shouts.

Calamity Gundam is changing towards him. Yzak shifts away from the oncoming blasts. They're trying to surround him, but they're attacks aren't meant to be critical. _They want the Fury_. To gain a ZGMF model would advance their war effort. George Allster and Muruta Allster could commission several models to fight for the Earth Alliance.

Yzak refocuses as he pulls back. The Strike aims its beam rifle and makes a direct hit on Calamity. Yzak aims his beam rifle and fires on Raider.

"Yzak…" Mu La Flaga calls to him through the group comm link. "Le Creuset is near."

"The Providence isn't on my radar," Yzak says. "How could you possibly know?"

"Trust me…he's here," Mu La Flaga says. "Be ready for anything."

Yzak refocuses on the Raider Gundam. He shifts backwards and draws the Fury's double-ended beam javelin. The Raider Gundam attempts to attack with his mace, but Yzak cuts the mace clear in half. He breathes and smiles to himself.

"I've got this," he whispers to himself.

His radar blips and his smile drops. _Could it be?_ Data runs through a side screen and a screen capture of the Providence appears on his screen. Mu La Flaga is correct. Rau Le Creuset is here with them. _But why?_


End file.
